Ashes Of Joseph Tuohy Interred In Co. Tipperary

“And, as an hare whom hounds and horns pursue,
Pants to the place from whence at first she flew,
I still had hopes, my long vexations past,
Here to return—and die at home at last.”
Extract from Oliver Goldsmith’s poem, ‘The Deserted Village‘.

Hundreds of people are reported to have attended the funeral in Dublin today, of the Irish man Mr Joseph Tuohy.

Latter, for a short while, resided here in Co. Tipperary and passed away alone in London England on July 11th, 2019, while in his 83rd year; sadly, with little known family.

Today’s mourners were led by a close friend for many years, Mr Brian Boylan, accompanied by local parishioner Ms Margaret Browne, latter founder of “Friends of the Forgotten Irish”.

A lone piper led those attending the Requiem Mass, into St Joseph’s Church in Glasthule, Co. Dublin which was reportedly packed, leaving standing room only.

Earlier this month Thurles.Info and Hidden Tipperary had been contacted and had assisted in directing a researcher attempting to trace Mr Tuohy’s Tipperary connections.

The family of Mr Tuohy’s mother appears to have cut off contact with her, as happened in so many cases during the middle of the 20th century, after it was discovered she was pregnant and remained unmarried.

While Mr Tuohy had spent the first five years of his life, living with his mother; it became necessary to place him in an orphanage after he had been accidently burnt. Here he received training in the occupation of tailoring, before leaving the orphanage at the young age of just 16 years.

We understand that his mother possibly spent the rest of her life in one of the Magdalene Laundries, while Joseph travelled on to London, where he worked for some 60 years.

While in London, he met and married an Irish girl, however the couple would later separate. We later learned that Mr Tuohy had lost a leg, and with failing finances ended up alone and homeless; depending solely on hostel sheltered accomodation in London.

Mr Tuohy’s ashes were interred in a private ceremony in Toomevara, Co. Tipperary, this afternoon.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.