Limerick musician and singer John regaled nurses with his beautiful voice on day he died

THE MORNING of the day John O’Riordan went to his maker, he had nurses around his bed in University Hospital Limerick enthralled with his beautiful voice.

Bereft brother, Tom, said John was “a terror for song and music”.

“We went in to see  him that Sunday. As we came to the ward there were four or five nurses around him. 

“I could hear him singing and he knew it was his last day. The song was Where the Glencorbry and Shannon Flows. It’s a song about Glin,” said Tom.

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John’s death notice may say his address is Kilmore, Bruree but he was a Granagh man. John, aged 81, was the dedicated Limerick Leader notes correspondent for Granagh for decades.

Every week he used to post his handwritten notes in and typesetters in the Leader office would type them up. Over the years this changed to notes being submitted on email so John would drive to Office Assist in Charleville every week to get his notes typed up and emailed in to us.

John even wrote up the notes a few days before he died on Sunday, October 12.

“He used to drive to Charleville every week. The little girl at the office even came to the funeral which was lovely of her,” said Tom.

Sinéad Gammell, administrator at Office Assist, told the Leader that John would drop in his notes around 11.45am every Wednesday. She would then type them up and email them on to us in Glentworth Street.

“He was a really lovely man. I’ve been doing it for four years and I missed him last week - it was the first week he hadn’t come in. He was very dedicated and was a lovely man  to chat with,” said Sinéad.

Predeceased by his late brother Patrick and sister-in-law Mary, John is sadly missed by his loving family, brothers David and Tom, extended family, neighbours and many friends.

Tom said it was a huge funeral.

“They came from Kerry, Cork, everywhere. He used to go to the world of rambling houses. He played the accordion and mouth organ and won a lot of prizes. He was a very good singer,” said Tom.

John worked for the motorworks in William Street in Limerick city and car dealership and petrol station in Raheen where he made many friends.

The Granagh man ran 23 marathons during his life and now that his race is run, may he rest in peace after a life well lived.