21/04/2026
No need to mention this man's name - everybody knew him and he knew everybody. Rónán unlocked so many doors that were rusted in history.....
The Gate Keeper
A father young, with spirit bright,
Through fourteen long months of fading light
Though shadows gathered round his head
"I have no fear," to his dear wife he said.
With four young children at his side
He faced the turning of the tide
Believing death is but a part
Of every living, breathing heart
He wove the old into the new
To keep a town’s deep history true
With old street signs raised and stories told
He turned the hidden dust to gold
TV cameras came to view the grace
He found within his dwelling place
And in the newspaper sharp and clear
He wrote of all the community holds dear
He gathered remnants from the clay
Of where the German soldiers lay
A museum built in the attic of his home
Where local history found its throne—
With passion keen and focused mind,
Leaving a priceless gift behind
A tenacious servant who gave his best
To leave his local community blessed
A hero when his strength was high
A hero as the end drew nigh
His work is done, his journey run
A legacy left by Templemore's son
The fabric of the town he made
Will never let his memory fade.
A life of purpose, deep and wide
Now resting on the other side
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.
MDR.