Person Page - 64

Patrick Mooney, son of Andrew Mooney and (?) Reddy, was born in 1842.¹

Patrick Mooney lived at Grennan, Attanagh, Co Laois, in 1901.^2,3

Patrick Mooney was an Agricultural Labourer.¹

He was a widower in 1981.⁴

Mary Downey was born in 1863 at Byrnesgrove, Rathkyle, Co Kilkenny.^1,3 She married Andrew Mooney, son of William Mooney and Margaret (?), on 6 February 1890 in the Registrar's District of Ballyragget in the Union of Castlecomer, in the County of Kilkenny. He was a bachelor and she was a spinster and both of them were of full age. The witnesses were James Foley and Ellen Downey and the ceremony was conducted by John MCGrath P.P.^1,4,2 Mary Downey lived at Byrnesgrove at the time.²

Circa 1930 Mary Downey was photographed with Richard Mooney and Catherine Collins outside their family home in Grennan. Margaret Mary Mooney, Tom Hanlon, Ellen Mooney, Jimmy Hanlon, Andy Hanlon, Jack Mooney and Andrew Mooney and two girls called Regan also appeared in the photo.⁵

Patrick Mooney, son of Andrew Mooney and Mary Downey, was born in 1901 in Grennan.^1,2,3

Patrick Mooney married Maura (?)¹ Patrick Mooney was a Market Gardener.¹ He was buried at Boderstown, Co Kildare.¹

She was from Galway² Anne Mary Gaynor was born in 1890.¹ She married William Mooney, son of Andrew Mooney and Mary Downey.¹

William and William moved into their newly built house called St Anne's, Rathkeale, on 20 December 1933 with their four children.³ Anne Mary Gaynor was National School Teacher in Rathkeale.^1,4

John William Mooney, son of William Mooney and Anne Mary Gaynor, was born on 19 August 1926 in Rathkeale, Co Limerick.^1,3,4,5 John William Mooney was also known as Jack.¹ He was educated at the National School, Rathkeale.⁶

John William Mooney moved with his parents and three siblings Andrew Mooney, Mona Mooney and Gerald Mooney to St Anne's, Rathkeale, on 20 December 1933⁷ and the Secondary School in Foynes.⁶

Jack joined the Irish Army after leaving school and spent several years as a PE instructor in the Irish Army and was a keen member of his regiment's rifle shooting team winning many awards.⁸ He left the Army to take care of his father when he was dying from cancer.⁶

Jack met his future wife Maura Thresa Glynn at a dance in Ballingarry.⁹ She was working as a locum at Donovan's Pharmacy in Rathkeale at the time.¹⁰ John William Mooney married Maura, daughter of Patrick Joseph Glynn, on 14 July 1951 and they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in July 2001.^1,11

As a young man he loved fowling but he later became a great fisherman and for 45 years went to Lough Corrib Lough Corrib with his friends to enjoy the fishing there.^12,13 He was a keen member of the Development Committee and was made a Life President in recognition of his efforts on its behalf.¹⁴ Jack built the family home in Rathkeale known as St Anne's.¹⁵

John William Mooney died on 1 November 2001 at age 75¹⁶ and the the following notice appeared in the Irish Independent newspaper the next day:


The funeral took place on 3 November 2001^18,17 at which the eulogy was given by his son, Brian from Sydney, Australia.¹⁹ His obituary appeared in the Limerick Leader in late November.¹⁶ His son Bill recalled:



The Jack Mooney Marina was dedicated in his honour on 20 October 2002and a dvd was made of the event.²¹

Following his death The Jack Mooney Memorial Fishing Trophy was set up in his honour. It takes place on the last Sunday of May (occasionally it is the 2nd last Sunday) in Maam Bridge, Connemara. His granddaughter, Niamh recalls:

Maura Thresa Glynn was born in 1929 at Glanville House, County Galway, Co Galway.^1,2 Maura and her brother Michael were twins.¹

Maura met her future husband at a dance in Ballingarry³ She was working as a locum at Donovan's Pharmacy in Rathkeale at the time.⁴ She married John William Mooney, son of William Mooney and Anne Mary Gaynor, on 14 July 1951 and they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in July 2001.^1,5 Maura Thresa Glynn lived at St Anne's, Rathkeale,² until she died.²