Warm respects paid to a ‘great Limerick man’

A LIMERICK community has lost a household name and ‘a real old character’.

Warm and humorous tributes have been paid to a publican of 53 years, Jack Lynch, who owned Jack Lynch’s Bar on the hill in Knockainey. He passed away last week.

Far and wide, people have been remembering some of their fondest memories of Jack, the atmosphere of his bar, the sing-songs that were had, how kind-hearted and how funny he was.

“Jack was a strong, kind man with a heart of gold, he loved the blaggarding and telling the odd lie,” Jack’s son, Sean smiled.

Jack Lynch opened his bar in Knockainey in 1969 and over the course of 53 years, a lot has passed through the doors of the small County Limerick pub.

“He kept the pub open so long because he loved meeting people and keeping up with the news and the locals,” Sean mentioned.

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Considered a kind-hearted man, members of the community have reminisced on times when Jack would go out of his way to visit neighbours or friends if they were sick in hospital or even making tea for those working on his land.

“He did a lot of fundraising for his parish and did a lot of good deeds that no one would even know about,” Sean said.

“Over the days we have heard and reheard thousands of stories about Jack but too many to tell. There are funny ones but too rude,” Sean laughed.

Jack’s pub will be remaining open however as there are currently no plans to close it.

“The bar is still open and hopefully will be for many years to come,” Sean said.

Jack’s family aren’t the only ones remembering the local publican as former Limerick senior hurling player TJ Ryan, former Clare hurler Anthony ‘Dalo’ Daly and hurling coach Mark Landers remembered Jack’s character on Dalo’s Hurling Show with the Irish Examiner.

“I just want to pay my respects to Jack Lynch… He’s a publican in Knockainey… One of the earlier public houses I would have gone to back in the day. A real old character, a great GAA man, a great Limerick man,” TJ said.

“It was one of those old pubs where the toilets were outside the door,” he added.

“I was in [the pub],” Anthony Daly said. “It was my first time meeting Jack. [We asked him] ‘Where’s the toilet, Jack?’ and he replied: ‘Anywhere between here and The Galtees’.

“God be good to him.”