Willliam Galgey

1930 - 2023

(see obituary below)

 

 

On behalf of the Ayrwaves Team, I would like to extend our deepest sympathy to the Galgey family on the death of their father Bill.

When I was informed of the passing of Bill by text message from his daughter Claire, my first thought was “another lovely neighbour, a true gentleman, a family man and a pillar of this community has gone to his eternal reward”.

Bill was born in Waterford and educated in Mount Sion. He left school at the tender age of sixteen. He began his public service career in the Department of Post and Telegraphs.

During Bill’s long and varied career, he worked in a number of government departments and in 1988   after taking early retirement, he began a new career in Ayrfield Credit Union. 

Education was very important to Bill and in 2016 he graduated from University College Cork at the ripe old age of eighty-six.

I first encountered Bill during his involvement with A.C.R.A back in 1983. He was a member of a sub-committee of Rathvale Residents Association, which was set up to enable residents to buy out their ground rent.

Bill gave unstinted service to parish activities, both spiritual and temporal from the foundation of this parish. He was a member of the church choir “The Three Tenors” and was a dedicated outdoor collector for St. Paul’s Church and assisted in the weekly count.

I remember on one occasion, when all the choirs of the parish came together, which was a bit of a miracle, the closing hymn chosen was “This little light of mine”.  Bill nearly had a canary during rehearsal saying, “sure that’s not a hymn at all”. At the time I could not agree or disagree as I didn’t know myself back then. My good friend Google tells me that this hymn was written in the early 20th century, inspired by the quotation from the bible “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” John 8:12 

The hymns chosen for Bill’s Funeral Mass were a mixture of familiar Irish and English ones, beautifully sung by Bill’s daughter Claire.

Ni imithe uainn ach imithe romhainn atá sé.

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Margaret Maher 

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