Late James Cusack - a truly gifted teacher and a gentleman

A truly gifted teacher, a gentleman who led a long, busy and fulfilled life and a former headmaster who had a genuine interest in his past pupils. These are just some of the many words used to describe the late James (Jimmy) Cusack (Seámus Ó’Cíosóig), Ballygarden, Strokestown and late of Cloone, Kilbeacanty, County Galway who passed away, peacefully in his 92 year, on Monday, February 10th in the wonderful care of the staff on St. Michael’s Ward, Sacred Heart Hospital, Roscommon.

Married to his devoted wife Vera for 64 years, Jimmy served as headmaster at the former Bishop Hodson Grammar School in Elphin, retiring from that position in 1998.

His long life was filled with love; love for his wife and family, love for his job as an educator, love of community and love of God.

Symbols of his life brought to the altar at his funeral Mass in St. Patrick’s Church, Kiltrustan included a christening robe worn by him for his christening on July 28th,1933 and one that has been worn by four generations of the Cusack family ever since. A stone from his home house in Cloone, and clay from the garden, representing the love of his native place, were brought to the altar by his great grandchildren Maggie Rose and Thomas Cusack whom he cherished so much.

Books represented his love of language and learning while a jersey, hurley and sliothar reflected his lifelong love of Gaelic football and hurling. The wedding book from his marriage to Vera on February 6th, 1961 and a Leitrim Crystal Cross gifted by Diocese of Elphin on their 50th wedding anniversary pointed to his devotion to his wife of 64 years. A photo of his retirement in 1998, a pack of cards and a book about his life, Mo Scèal Fèin, written by him, summed up the many facets of his life.

Born in Cloone, Kilbeacanty, County Galway in 1933 he was the eldest of three boys.

Growing up working on the family farm, helping neighbours, saving turf bringing cattle to the mart, and playing football and hurling gave him solid foundations in life.

He attended the local vocational school in Gort for a year before his entry to Mungret College in Limerick, a Jesuit college, which was a junior seminary where he studied his Leaving Cert and two years of philosophy, which was sponsored by the Young Priests Society, 1948 to 1954. Jim went on to the Irish College in Rome where he studied Theology. However, he made the choice not to continue in the priesthood as he felt be would best serve his vocation to education and family life by looking for pastures new.

He secured a job at the Church of Ireland Grammar School in Elphin and in the town he found his home.

The 1950s Ireland was a tough place in educational establishments, but Jimmy’s mission was to pass on his knowledge and experience to others. His style of teaching was different, he didn’t instil fear, but instilled in his pupils a love of learning.

During the course of his homily at his Funeral Mass chief celebrant Fr. Vivian Loughrey, Parish Priest of Shrule in County Galway, whose father and the late Jimmy were first cousins, told the congregation that his faith and religion were important to him, and he wanted to do good in the world.

He described him as “an educationalist at heart” who believed that learning was more than just about books and academia.

“Jimmy spent 41 joyful years teaching and nurturing in Elphin. Central to all that and what made him tick was his faith and belief. He was a thinker, he noticed and observed things around him and he used his knowledge to guide him,” said Fr. Loughrey.

Fr. Loughrey also referred to the role his wife, Vera, and family played in his life. “He would not have been able to do it without you, Vera,” he said.

Jimmy’s son Mícheál told the overflowing congregation at St. Patrick’s Church, Kiltrustan that when his father, who had excelled in education and played hurling with distinction, opted not to pursue the priesthood, he cycled to Galway and spoke to the president of UCG asking him could he do a degree and the hDip in one year. That was in 1956 and in 1957 he received a degree in English and History and a HDip, a course which now takes six years to complete.

In 1957 he was interviewed on the side of the road for the job in Elphin and went on to teach Irish, English, Latin, history and religion and become the first Catholic headmaster of the former Bishop Hodson Gramma School.

Mícheál spoke of his father’s great love of sport, from his days playing Sigerson hurling in 1956, to golf in Carrick-on-Shannon and becoming part of Elphin GAA and founding Elphin Athletic Club in 1964. He was also a founder member in 1960 and treasurer of the Elphin Bridge Club and treasurer of Elphin Community Centre where dances with showbands and bingo were introduced. He also chairman of the Carrick-on-Shannon branch of the ASTI and represented the branch at congress for years.

The family moved to Ballygarden, Strokestown in 1980 after building a home there and Jimmy got involved in the Kiltrustan community through sports clubs and church committees.

He added that his father took great pride in his family, took great pride in everything they did and encouraged them at every opportunity.

Having researched the family tree, Jimmy took immense pride in publishing his book on his life, Mo Scèal Fèin.

Despite his declining health over the last ten years, Mícheál said that he accepted it with grace and humility. He paid tribute to all the nurses, doctors and carers who had looked after him, and paid a special tribute to his mother, revealing that his parents had celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary the Thursday before he died.

Predeceased by his mother Ellen (née Loughrey), father James, brothers Francie and John Paul and sister-in-law Ellen (née Redmond), Jimmy was devoted husband of Vera (née Duffy) and loving father of Mícheál (Naas), Séamus (Strokestown), Deirdre (Duggan, Ballinalee), Méadhbh (Hanley, Strokestown), Eibhlín (Earley, Hillstreet), Ruairí (Annaghdown) and Orla (Keegan, Fourmilehouse). He will be very sadly missed by his loving wife and children, sons-in-law, Paul, Peter, Pat and David, daughters-in-law, Cáit, Caroline and Annette, sisters-in-law, Nancy and Pauline, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nephews, nieces, relatives, neighbours and friends.

He reposed at Brady’s Funeral Home, Elphin on Wednesday, February 12th with removal on the Thursday morning to St. Patrick’s Church, Kiltrustan for Funeral Mass with burial afterwards in Aughrim Cemetery.

Níl bás ach múchadh coinnle le breachadh an lae. (Death is only the quenching of a candle at the dawning of the day).

•Jimmy’s Funeral Mass was concelebrated by Fr. Eamon O’Connor, PP, Strokestown; Fr. Vincent Aueyi; Fr JJ Gannon, Pastor Emeritus Elphin and Aughrim; Fr. Stephen Walsh, St. Anne’s Sligo, Fr, Ciaran Whitney, Pastor Emeritus Strokestown; Fr. Tom Murray, PP Cloonbroney, Ballinalee; Fr. Stephen Ezenwegbu, PP Elphin.