Last person born on remote Mayo island passes away 

A man who was the last person born on the Inishkea Islands has passed away at the age of 97.

John (JJ) Meenaghan, of Duvillaun, Clogher, Belmullet and formerly of Inishkea South and Glosh, Belmullet passed away peacefully at Mayo University Hospital, surrounded by his loving family.

John was the last baby born on the remote island off the Erris coast. He left Inishkea at the age of three but retained a deep affinity to the island and maintained a long family fishing tradition. John’s skills at sea and that of his family were legendary and were revered up and down the North Mayo coast.

He was born two years after the 1927 tragedy that befell the island. On October 28, 1927, a sudden and violent storm struck the western seaboard of Ireland, resulting in the loss of 45 lives at sea. Ten fishermen from the Inishkea Islands were among the victims, including a 14-year-old boy, Terry Reilly, and his father. The storm caught the fishermen off guard, as conditions had been calm earlier in the day. The tragedy devastated the island community, contributing to the eventual abandonment of the islands in the 1930s. The tragedy will be commemorated later this month.

John was both a fisherman and a farmer and worked in America for a period before returning home to raise his family He was an authority on the sea and Inishkea’s long legacy with the currach continues with his son Sean. Sean became one of the top currach rowers in the county and is chair of the Blacksod Rowing Club.

John was predeceased by his loving wife Nellie, his parents Kitty and John, brothers Michael, Philip, Paddy, Tommy, Anthony and Willie, sisters Josie, Kathleen, Anne and infant sister Bridget, nieces, nephews and grandniece.

He will be sadly missed and fondly remembered by his loving family, son Seán (Duvillaun), daughters Mary (Kiltimagh) and Eileen (Castlebar), daughter in law Orla, sons in law Mark McDonnell and Richard Holmes, grandchildren Seán, Ellen, Ciarán, Maggie, Mark, John, Patrick and Lucas, his nieces Maureen McGinty (Surgeview) and Noirín Breathnach (Tourmakeady), all his nieces and nephews, his sister-in-law Ann Meenaghan (Cross) and all his relatives and friends.

There were many online tributes following the news of his passing.

“We had many visits to Inishkea on the boat in the good times with his dear wife Nellie, hearing all the Island stories,” read a message of condolence.

“John was a wonderful neighbour and so good to us all as kids, a true gentleman,” stated another.

Reposal takes place at Daly’s Funeral Home, Bangor Erris this evening.

Funeral Mass will be held at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Aughleam tomorrow (Saturday) with burial afterwards in Faulmore Cemetery.