Popular Roscommon businessman described as a “people’s person” who loved his hometown
The late Barry Feely.
Popular Boyle businessman Barry Feely was “a people’s person” who loved his hometown, his Funeral Mass in Boyle was told today, Wednesday.
The 85-year-old, who passed away peacefully on Monday at his home at Woodenbridge Road, Boyle had been the face of Feelystone in the town for more than three decades.
Mr Feely was also well known for the five books he wrote about the town and its history. These included ‘Dared to Challenge’, ‘Great Characters’, ‘A Life in Stone’, ‘We are the Survivors’ and ‘Good Mercy’. He was also a lifelong Gael who was a central figure in Boyle GAA for decades.
During his Funeral Mass at St. Joseph's Parish Church, Canon Niall Ahern said Mr Feely was a "people’s person" who was grounded in his home place. “Mainistir na Búille, the stone monastery on the beautiful Boyle river, home and haven for him,” he said.
Mourners were told as a young boy of 15, Mr Feely took a chisel and hammer “and began a respect for the sacred above in Greatmeadow, handing it on now to the tenth generation of his family, beginning in a cottage like a cottage industry in Boyle - a place he loved so well.”
Canon Ahern referenced some of Mr Feely's many interests and activities, such as his time as a town councillor and his involvement in the chamber of commerce, the arts, music, sports and Tidy Towns "and above all, in his business and his employment".
He spoke about how Mr Feely gave sponsorship to fledgling and eminent sculptors “in his own backyard”.
“It’s a great story and Barry loved a story. He was a seanchaí par excellence- not just about the place but about the people of Boyle, ” he said.
Symbols of his life were brought to the altar: a family photograph representing his love of family; a hammer and chisel, representing his long life working with stone and one of his books, which represented "everything dear to him".
During the Mass, Mr Feely’s three sons, Colin, Finbarr and Shane paid tribute to their father, speaking about his love of family, friends and Feelystone. They said he was a devoted father, husband, friend and mentor.
The spoke about how their father was an original founder of the Boyle Arts Festival and helped initiate the Boyle Civic Collection. Mr Feely was also described as a “true Boyle GAA man”.
Mourners heard that he made a “huge contribution to community and the economic wellbeing” of Boyle for many years.
Mr Feely is dearly loved and remembered by his wife, Ursula (Killoran); children, Rhona, Colin, Ciara, Finbarr and Shane; sons-in-law and daughters-in-law Jim, Jackie, Michael, Aoife and Sharon; grandchildren Luke, Sally, James, Anna, Jack, Aaron, Fionán, Roisín, Bearach, Émer, Carrie and Rían. He is also survived by his sisters, Pauline, Rita and Veronica, extended Feely, Hanmore and Killoran family, the community and a wide circle of friends.
He was laid to rest afterwards in Assylinn cemetery.
