Beloved clock-fixer Fr Galvin laid to rest

BISHOP Fintan Gavin has extended his prayerful support to the family and parishioners of Fr John Galvin, who died peacefully at Cork University Hospital on December 30th.

Fr John was a native of Uibh Laoire Parish, and his love for his native place in Ballingeary was well known.

He was ordained to the priesthood on June 9th 1962 and began his ministry on temporary mission in the Archdiocese of Birmingham.

On returning to Cork and Ross, he ministered as curate in Ahiohill and Cape Clear, as chaplain in Schull, and as chaplain in Dunmanway. He then ministered as curate in the parishes of Ovens and Farran, St Joseph’s Mayfield and Curraheen Road, as parish priest in Frankfield and Passage West, and as assistant priest in the harbour parishes.

A friend of Fr John’s said he touched many people with his pastoral ministry.

‘A lot of people would also know him for his curious pastime , which he was passionate about – repairing grandfather clocks.’

‘He was the go-to person for people who had old clocks and couldn’t get them going. He had a great gift for finding pieces, and making pieces, to get them going again, and his house was constantly full of chimes.

‘The two things, both his ministry and his interest in old clocks, had one thing in common – they were both about people, about the people that he ministered to,’ said his friend.

‘People from all over the county used to go to him for solutions about their clocks. ‘It was the conversations that he had with those people that was important, it wasn’t their clocks.’