Galway pays its respects to Limerick native son

LAST WEEK, many mourners turned out in Salthill to bid farewell to Fedamore native, Christy Fitzgerald. In his 95th year, the Limerick man was the youngest of a family of five. The eldest were his twin brothers, Tommy and Billy, followed by Nancy and Maisie.

Christy was a man of his time shaped by love of family, Gaelic games, writing, parish and country. He never forgot where he came from nor what he came from.

As a boy, Christy attended the local school. The schoolmaster, Martin Maloney, had a lifelong impact on this young scholar. He was an enthusiastic Gaeilgeoir.

At the time, there were still many Irish words in the local vernacular. He passed on a love of the Irish language to Criostóir and it became a defining characteristic.

Mr Maloney was an enthusiastic supporter of an initiative by the Irish Folklore Commission to collect local tales and folklore.

Christy, the 10-year-old scholar, interviewed next-door neighbour Jack Collins and transcribed a story about the fairies. This passion for recording aspects of life in Fedamore endured.

He was the long-running editor of the Fedamore News, which started almost half a century ago, in 1973. This fine publication chronicles the life and times of the parish including sporting occasions, family events and local history.

Like his father, Christy had a lifelong passion for hurling. As a young man, he once played against the great Mick Mackey.

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Indeed, the ‘Mighty Mac’ complimented Christy on a shot that he saved during their encounter. Christy often travelled from Galway to see his native Fedamore play in East Finals, semi-finals and county finals and was a Life President of Fedamore GAA club.

He often travelled on a Saturday to Fedamore News magazine meetings and would take in the game of 45 in the community centre afterwards. He was an extremely keen cyclist all of his life and enjoyed taking part in the 50 mile cycles which were organised by the late John Ryan.

Criostóir was an important servant to the GAA. He was a pioneering founder of the Inter-Firm in Galway in the late-1960s. This voluntary sporting organisation started with competitions between companies in the town, fielding teams for Gaelic football.

In its heyday, in the 1970s and 1980s, there were five football divisions and hundreds playing each week. It became a remarkable movement.

Based on the success of the football, other codes were added: hurling, handball and Tráth na gCeist (Quiz). In Galway, it is quietly speculated that many a player gained employment based on their skill on the playing field!

Throughout his life, Christy loved to put pen to paper, especially celebrating people he knew. Many families expressed their appreciation to him for the loving obituaries he penned. He wrote in English and Irish and could make up a verse in his head.

His was the Bardic tradition and he wrote poems and ballads praising local heroes.

In 1985, many of these works were brought together in a self-published book called Tributes. On the radio, in an all-Limerick pact, broadcaster and music collector, Ciarán Mac Mathúna, often played songs written by Christy and performed by Ann Mulqueen from Castleconnell.

Christy leaves a proud legacy. He is survived by his wife Pauline and five children.