AN ATHEA man, who rallied an entire West Limerick community in a search to find him, is to be laid to rest this Wednesday.
John (John Michael) McSweeney, late of Knocknaclugga, Athea, County Limerick, will be laid to rest after large-scale searches were carried out to find the West Limerick man throughout the last week.
Mr McSweeney was reported as having last been seen in the area of his Athea home on January 6. Gardaí reported the well-liked local man deceased after the discovery of a body on Sunday last (January 14).
People of the West Limerick community rallied behind the search for Mr Sweeney in their hundreds across last week, with large search parties comprised of local volunteers, the Coast Guard, Civil Defence, and a number of search and rescue organisations taking to local woodlands and bogs.
One local representative, Councillor Liam Galvin, describing the people of West Limerick rallying around the missing pensioner, said he had “never seen such a show of community support and determination”.
Mr McSweeney is deeply regretted by his family, brothers Paddy, Liam, and Martin, sisters Margaret and Mary, brother-in-law Timmy, sisters-in-law Noreen, Eileen, and Bridget, nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends.
The late Athea man will repose at St Mary’s Church, Carrigkerry, this evening (Tuesday) from 6pm to 8pm. Requiem Mass will be held tomorrow morning from 11am – also available to view online via Facebook. Burial afterwards will take place in Calvary Cemetery in Newcastle West.
Mr McSweeney’s family have requested family flowers only, suggesting donations in lieu to Abbeyfeale Search and Rescue
