Irish MEP Luke 'Ming' Flanagan has been bereaved by the death of his father Luke, a man he has previously described as “a hard-working man all his days”.
Luke Senior, or ‘Lukey Joe’ as he was fondly known in his native Castlerea, Co Roscommon, passed away Tuesday at University Hospital Galway, surrounded by his loving family.
He will be laid to rest on Friday in Castlerea Cemetery following Requiem Mass at 11am in the local St Patrick’s Church.
Tributes are being paid on the RIP.ie website to the former carpenter who was predeceased by his wife, Lillie, some years ago.
One online contributor described Lukey Joe as “a true gent”.
The poster added: “Castlerea has lost one of its favourite sons”.
Recently the MEP on his personal website spoke glowingly of both his parents and noted the sacrifices they had made in hard times in raising a large family.
“I have a deep and abiding love for both my parents”, he wrote. “I also have a massive respect for them both and a huge appreciation for the sacrifices they made in bringing up a large family on what back then were only very average wages.
“What they had they made the most of and we never knew want in our house, at least not ‘want’ in how I understand it”.
Luke (Senior) was predeceased by his wife Lily (nee Coyne), his parents Michael and Bridget and a sister, Nan.
He is survived by his family, Michael (Frenchpark), Eamon (London), Ursula (Dublin), Fiona, Luke and David (Castlerea) as well as his grandchildren Lisa, Alison, Ciara, Patrick, Oisin, Donnacha, Kevin, Isabelle, Katie, Saoirse, Lily, Matthew and Conor as well as other extended family.
Large crowds are expected when the remains repose at Gaynor’s Funeral Home, Castlerea, tomorrow (Thursday) evening from 5 p.m. to 7.30pm.
Mass of the Resurrection in St. Patrick’s Church at 11 a.m. on Friday followed by burial in St. Joseph’s Cemetery.
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