A large crowd is expected in the small rural parish of Clara in Co Kilkenny on Saturday for the funeral Mass of Johnny Ryan – father of All-Ireland winning captain Lester Ryan – who was killed in a farm accident on Wednesday.
Mr Ryan's remains were brought home to his family's farmhouse in the Dunbell area of Clane, about 4km from Bennettsbridge and not much further from Kilkenny city, late on Thursday night after a post-mortem examination was performed at University Hospital Waterford.
It’s understood the 61-year-old farmer died instantly when he was trapped by machinery he had been using with a tractor to spread slurry at his farm.
Following private family prayers on Saturday morning, his body will be removed to St Colman’s Church in Clara for funeral Mass at 11am, followed by burial in the local cemetery.
Many tributes have been paid to the popular community figure and lifelong GAA devotee who played for the Clara hurling team when they won the club’s first Kilkenny senior hurling championship in 1986 and whose three sons Lester, Liam and Tom were members of the team when they won their second in 2013.
That victory in 2013 meant Lester was nominated as captain of the Kilkenny inter-county team last year and it was he who brought the Liam MacCarthy Cup back to Kilkenny after their All-Ireland replay win over Tipperary last September.
“At the local homecoming in Clara, there was Johnny with his high-vis jacket and him parking cars,” recalled neighbour, farmer and agricultural journalist Matt O’Keeffe, of how Johnny Ryan was stewarding the parking arrangements for the celebratory event. “They told him to go in to Lester, but that was Johnny’s way. When there was work to be done, he did it.”
Local GAA activities have been suspended until further notice as a result of the tragedy, while Kilkenny have pulled out of the inter-county Walsh Cup, due to start this weekend, as a mark of respect.
Mr Ryan is survived by his wife Lilly and sons Lester, Tom and Liam.
He farmed the land in Dunbell with his brother Kevin and it’s understood it was Kevin who found him after the fatal incident happened at about 11am on Wednesday. “For it to happen, just so suddenly while he was just going about his daily work . . . It’s just hard to believe.” Mr O’Keeffe said. “To go from such a high [after last September’s All-Ireland win] to such a low.”
Parish priest Fr Larry O'Keeffe said local people were in shock. "There's still disbelief at what happened," he said. "He was very popular and would have been involved through the hurling and everything else. It's a tough time for the family and the community."