Funeral arrangements announced for former mayor of Limerick

THE funeral will take place this weekend of the former Mayor of Limerick City, Gerard (Ger) Fahy who passed away on New Year’s Eve. 

Late of McDermott Avenue, Janesboro and Marian Avenue, Roxboro, Mr Fahy died peacefully in the loving care of the staff of Saoirse Ward, St Camillus Hospital, Limerick.

A former publican, Mr Fahy was first elected to City Council in 1985, and subsequently re-elected in 1999 and 2004 to Limerick No. 3, as it was known at the time.

He was elected in 2009 to the City South ward, with a first preference vote of 940 votes.

The southside Fine Gael councillor was set to run in City East in 2014 but in January of that year - ahead of the local elections - he confirmed that he would instead retire from local politics in May of that year, citing personal reasons.

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Mr Fahy was well known as being a strong supporter of Janesboro soccer club.

The pinnacle of his political career came in 2007 when he was unanimously elected as the 811th mayor of Limerick.

During this time, he presided over the first city boundary extension, and also welcomed home the victorious Heineken Cup-winning Munster side in 2008.

It was his mother May who encouraged him to get involved in politics.

During his mayoralty, he ensured he attended as many public engagements as possible.

During this time, he recalled that on some days, he left his home at 7am and did not return until after midnight “with a can and a bag of chips”.

Speaking to the Limerick Leader in 2014, he said: “I have been honoured to serve as a Limerick councillor, highlighted by my term as Mayor, which will be recorded for all time. As Mayor, it afforded me opportunities to portray our great city in a positive light, which was very important to me, and still is.”

At the time Mr Fahy also thanked his wife Maura (now deceased), pictured below, family, friends and party colleagues for their support through the three decades in which he served on Limerick City Council.

Mr Fahy will be reposing at Griffin’s Funeral Home, John’s Gate, on Friday, January 3 from 5pm to 6:30pm.

Funeral arriving at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, Janesboro, on Saturday, January 4 for requiem Mass at 10am. Burial afterwards in Mount St Oliver Cemetery.

Mr Fahy is predeceased by his wife Maura and parents Gerard and May, and will be sadly missed by his loving family, brothers Eugene, Dermot and Michael, sisters Geraldine (Sadlier), Rita (Wallace) and Caroline (Hudner), brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, grandnephews, grandnieces, relatives, great neighbours and a wide circle of friends

May he rest in peace.