The Parting Glass - much-loved musician and publican is laid to rest in Donegal

The music that was a large part of the fabric of John McMenamin’s life has continued to be a tangible presence since his sad passing, as has his love of family and his enduring community spirit.

Along with his beloved wife Denise, John provided a welcoming home for traditional music at the Reel Inn, the pub which the couple ran for 20 years. This has been reflected in the way in which musicians have collectively been honouring the former publican since his death on Sunday, March 29.

As John’s repatriated remains made the long journey to his home in Inver on Friday, there were powerful and poignant tributes at a number of points along the route, including in his native Tyrone. There was a particularly large coming together of musicians at the Reel Inn, where the cortege stopped for an emotional rendition of The Parting Glass and a selection of favourite traditional tunes.

The music continued through John’s funeral Mass in St Naul’s Church on Easter Monday, April 6, sacred, emotional, and deeply fitting.

READ NEXT: ‘John along with Denise made The Reel Inn a home and a safe place for music’

Before the service started, symbols of John’s life were brought forward to the altar - sheep shears, a digger, John’s accordion, and a bodhrán bearing the Tyrone crest.

On behalf of Denise and John’s extended family, particularly Paul, Stephen, Benny, Denis, Shannon, Rachel and Ciara, Fr Liam Boyle PP welcomed mourners, whether they travelled from near or far or were watching via the livestream on the St Naul’s Parish Inver Facebook page.

Fr Boyle reminded those gathered that John had been born in Tullycar, Aghayarn, a proud Tyrone man, symbolised by the bodhrán with the Tyrone crest that had been brought to the altar.

“But,” said Fr Boyle, “he felt the pull of love from elsewhere, maybe the pull of Denise pulling him to this part of the world. Of course, he fell in love, not just with her, but with the mountains and the beauty of this place as well.”

The priest said with a smile that he would not say when John was born because he was precious about his age. 

He added: “We also can't tell you about how as a young lad he syphoned off helicopter fuel from drums that him and his friends found. They used it, tested it in a Morris Minor that had a reaction that when they tried to switch the Morris Minor off. The fuel was too strong and the engine kept running and sort of exploded and gave up.

“But we can't tell you that either!”

The priest spoke of the Easter Monday Gospel telling the story of the women finding the empty tomb and running to share the news of Christ’s resurrection. He said that people were gathered in a similar way for John’s funeral Mass. 

Fr Boyle continued: “Perhaps when the news arrived here, people were aware of the difficulties that Denise must have been going through and also her expectation, her desire, her anxiety to take John's remains home to his homeland.

“The large, very poignant welcome that he received as he travelled home from Dublin Airport, stopping in varying places, in particular in Donegal Town, where music was played to greet him one last time as he returned home, it's that which we pray for ultimately today, that John will reach his true land, his true homeland in heaven. 

“The beautiful music that we've already heard at the start of the Mass, the psalm, the beautiful music that was played in those various stops, is not just about celebrating John's character or his life.

“We see the Paolo Soprani accordion - a symbol at the front of the altar - and your desire to honour him, to mark the man that he was with the music that you're playing, that you celebrate, that you knew him by. 

“But as Christians, standing in the light of Easter, even on a day like this of mourning and sadness, we can play, because we know that death is not the end, that for John death is not the final say, that because of the hope that we have in the resurrection, we know there is something more, that we can still have a certain joy in our heart, that our music can be played well and with an uplifting tone, because even in the darkness, there is the light and hope of the resurrection.”

The priest said he had visited John's home on Friday evening.

“I noticed the many symbols that were scattered around the house, everything from the large array of accordions, the bodhrán, to the digger that was sitting on the shelf, a symbol of the skill that he had, the hard work.”

Fr Boyle noted in particular the Easter Proclamation on the wall of John’s home.

“It is interesting that today he's been laid to rest on Easter Monday,” said the priest.

“When I went outside, it was a fresh, cold evening, and you could see the stars in the sky. It brought to mind to me a poem written by Joseph Mary Plunkett, one of the seven signatories of the proclamation, one of the 16 executed after the rising.”

Fr Boyle concluded by reciting the poem in question, I See His Blood Upon the Rose. 

As John was laid to rest in the hillside cemetery in Inver, musicians who shared countless sessions with him in life were there to give him a fitting send off. The traditional music played with the love, respect and joy that John embodied was lifted by the breeze that blew in from the sea and carried on the air of his adopted home of Inver.

The music continued in Inver Community Centre where mourners gathered after the funeral to share stories and memories over food and a cup of tea. 

And no doubt there will be many a glass raised and many a tune played in John’s memory for a long time to come.