Obituary: James 'Jim' Kenneally of Congress Place 1939-2024
James 'Jim' Kenneally 1939-2024
On Wednesday, November 6, James 'Jim' Kenneally died peacefully, surrounded by his loving family, at University Hospital Waterford after a short illness.
A Waterford man through and through, Jim was born in Kilmanahan, Piltown, on October 27, 1939, to parents William and Mary Kenneally.
He was the youngest of four children; sisters Kitty and Biddy and brother Tom.
As a young boy, he loved being in the great outdoors, whether it be fishing or playing with the family pets.
In his late teens, Jim went to work in the Tannery in Portlaw.
It was here he made lifelong friendships, sharing the daily commute from Waterford City to Portlaw with his colleagues.
At the Tannery, he learned how to spot good quality leather, which came in handy in later years when he would offer his advice on his daughters and granddaughters' handbags.
According to family lore, he wasn't shy in offering his opinion if he thought the quality was sub-par!
Life changed when he met Ann Brown, a young lady from the 'Top of The Town', one of seven girls from Congress Place. They met, like so many Déise couples, at the Olympia nightclub.
They soon became inseparable, with Jim collecting Ann from the end of Congress Place to avoid the watchful eye of her mother and grandmother.
They married in 1965 at Ballybricken Church.
Jim and Ann settled for good in Congress Place shortly after the arrival of their daughters Jacqui and Yvonne. It was a wonderful place to raise a family and the couple became firm friends with their neighbours.
They became a family of five with the birth of their youngest daughter Karen.
Jim cherished his family and was a loving husband and father.
Tragically, Ann passed away suddenly in 1998, leaving Jim and their daughters bereft with grief. Despite the sorrow, Jim was the glue that held the family together during this dark time.
As he got older, he happily took on the role of doting grandfather to his three granddaughters Shauna, Rhionna and Ilana, and his grandson Sam. A fun-loving granddad, Jim was always game to play 'snap' or 'donkey' with the little ones.
Jim is dearly missed by his daughters, sons-in-law, grandchildren, sisters, brothers, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, extended family and friends.
Jim's family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to the paramedics, nurses and doctors at UHW's Emergency Department and Dr Tadhg O'Carroll for the care they provided.
A special thank you goes to Michael Thompson and the team at R Thompson for their professionalism and compassion during this difficult time.
The family would like to thank Father Gerry Chestnutt for honouring Jim's memory so beautifully during his funeral mass.
Jim was laid to rest on Saturday, November 9, after a requiem mass at Ballybricken Church, the same church where he married his beloved Ann nearly 60 years before.
His funeral cortege passed by his home on the way to the burial at St. Otteran's Cemetery.
May he Rest in Peace.
