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Eddie Williams RIP
It was deep sadness that the people of Drumkeeran heard of the death of
Eddie Williams,
Derrylustia.
Eddie died on Tuesday, 12th August
after a brief illness.
Eddie Williams was born in Donnycarney, Dublin, in 1935,
the son of Annie and Matthew Williams.
He was one of a family of eight children.
From an early age he started to help his dad in the family business
of delivering coal and firewood in and around Donnycarney.
In those days, the deliveries were made by horse and cart.
In 1967 he met Margaret Battles, a lady from Boyle, who was then working in Dublin.
They were married in December 1969 and they settled in Dublin.
In 1978 the family moved to Derrylustia, Drumkeeran.
Margaret and Eddie had nine children;
Tracey, Maggie, Mary Ann, Emma, Bernie and Dana;
Padraig, Brian and John.
Eddie always made sure that Margaret and the family lacked for nothing.
He always put their needs ahead of his own.
Eddie quickly endeared himself to the people of Drumkeeran.
His friendly and out-
He played cards with them on Saturday nights.
He enjoyed having the odd pint of Guinness with his friends.
He also played darts with them.
Above all, he came across to all who met him as a decent and kindly man.
Eddie had lots of interests in life.
Before coming to Drumkeeran he had a great interest
in pigeons.
He used to breed his own pigeons and enter them in pigeon races.
When he settled in Derrylustia, he did a small bit of farming,
keeping a few cows and calves, a donkey and a flock of hens.
He always had a great love of nature and enjoyed watching nature programmes on television.
Watching TV Westerns was also a favoutite passtime for him.
Religion played a central role in the life of Eddie Williams.
Sunday Mass was a must
and so too was prayer, especially the Rosary.
He also had great devotion to St Martin.
Eddie’s
was a simple, uncomplicated faith.
He placed his whole trust in “Holy God, and his
blessed mother”.
It was that same uncomplicated simple faith that gave him remarkable strength and
courage
when John, the youngest of the family, died tragically in December 2008.
John’s
death came as a huge blow to Eddie, to Margaret and to all the family.
It was Eddie’s
strong faith and his deep trust in God that helped him cope with the loss of John.
While Eddie was a man noted for his decency and kindness,
he was also a am who deeply
appreciated the help and the kindness that others offered to him.
The words “Thank
you” constantly flowed from his lips.
Even during his recent stay in the hospital,
the nurses commented
that they’d never before been thanked so much by any patient
for giving them injections
as they were by Eddie Williams.
During these days in the hospital,
Eddie insisted that there was only one place he
wanted to be,
and that was at home with his family.
He got his wish and came home on
Thursday, August 7.
But Eddie was seriously ill and, only a few days after getting home,
he died peacefully
in the presence of Margaret and his family.
Eddie is survived by his wife Margaret and by their children;
Tracey, Maggie, Mary
Ann, Emma, Bernie, Dana,
Padraig and Brian.
He was predeceased by his son John in 2008.
He is also survived by his sisters Mary and Sheila and by his brother Matt.
Large numbers of people visited the house
and attended the Removal and the Funeral.
Eddie’s Mass of the Resurrection was celebrated by Fr Alwill
of Friday, August 15.
After the Mass Eddie was laid to rest beside his son John
in the family plot in Drumkeeran
Cemetery.