Tributes paid to former Examiner staff member and Scór stalwart

It was with great sadness that the Westmeath Examiner bid farewell to one of its long-serving former colleagues, the late Johnny Hannify of Bishopstown, Moate, who went to his eternal reward on Sunday April 4 last.

Johnny worked as a compositor with the Westmeath Examiner across three decades, starting in the early 1970s before moving on to a post with Mullingar firm Taconic during the late 1990s, before his retirement.

The Longford native will, however, be best remembered as one of Westmeath’s most ardent Gaels, and in particular as one of the most passionate advocates for the Scór movement in the county.

A long-serving member of the Westmeath Scór committee, he worked tirelessly as its PRO for nearly 40 years, writing detailed notes of each major Scór event involving Westmeath. He also compiled many a programme for a county and Leinster Scór final over the years.

Not just an administrator but also a participant, Johnny first became involved with Scór in Longford with his native club Clonguish, whom he also represented with his distinction on the underage playing field. After moving to Westmeath, he joined the Fr Dalton’s hurling club in 1984, before transferring to St Joseph’s in 1990.

From there, he took part in Scór’s ‘Question Time’ events for 30 consecutive years, winning 20 county titles along the way on a powerhouse team that also featured his friends Dick Stokes and Aidan Walsh. The trio also picked up six county titles, and an All-Ireland crown in 2003. Johnny also won a Leinster medal with St Joseph’s in the Léiriú (Novelty Act).

A regular fixture at quizzes, Johnny’s reputation as a master of the arts of general knowledge went far beyond the borders of Westmeath. He had a keen intellect and a capacity to retain huge amounts of information about a variety of topics.

He was eager to pass this knowledge on to the next generation, serving as quizmaster for a variety of ‘Scór na bPáistí’ events over the years.

In later years, following the untimely death of his wife Maureen (née McCormack) in 2013, Johnny became heavily involved with the Men’s Shed movement in Kilbeggan.

Only last year, he was at the forefront of a campaign to save the Men’s Shed movement in the wake of a funding shortfall brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. Johnny loved a game of cards, one of the many activities he enjoyed as a ‘Shedder’.

Born in Longford Town in 1947, Johnny went to Melview National School, to the north of the town, before attending Longford Vocational School.

Speaking to the GAA for its oral history collection in 2010, he said that his earliest memory of Gaelic games was his father buying him a football in the early 1950s.

Johnny died peacefully at South Westmeath Hospice, Athlone, on Sunday last after a short illness, in the company of his son Ivan.

He is survived by his son, twin brother Jim (Longford), sister Betty (Baxter, Longford), brothers Vincent (Maynooth) and Christy (Longford), grandchildren Freya, Caitlyn and Isobelle, his best friend Briege Fergus (Dundalk), Ivan’s partner Siobhán, brother-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

Removal was on Tuesday morning April 6, from Rooney’s Funeral Home, arriving at St Brigid’s Church, Boher, for funeral prayers, followed by Funeral Mass at noon, with burial afterwards in the adjoining cemetery.

Johnny's funeral, subject to HSE and government advice, was for family only, and a memorial Mass will be held for Johnny at a later date.

Johnny’s funeral Mass was streamed on the Ballymore and Boher Parish Facebook page.