Rahan musician Brendan Ignatius Grennan mourned
The death took place on June 11 last of Brendan Ignatius Grennan, of Moate, and formerly Killina, Rahan. A musician of exceptional talent, Brendan mastered the piano, accordion, and keyboards.
Born on September 10, 1952, he was educated at Rahan Boys School and Killina Secondary School. While still a teenager he worked at Goodbody’s Factory, Clara, and later Salts Factory Tullamore.
Brendan Ignatius joined the Army in March 1972. He served in Mullingar, Athlone, The Curragh and lastly, Letterkenny, where he was posted on Border duties.
One could say music was Brendan’s life, and, on leaving the Army in 1978, he focused on a career with Midlands group Erin’s Pride. In 1982, Brendan began a two-year stint with the TR Dallas band which played in every county in Ireland plus several times in the UK.
In 1984, an opportunity arose for a new career in the United States, Having been recommended by his lifetime music friend, the great Dermot O'Brien, for a vacancy with the Pat Roper Band, the Rahan man took a flight to New York, to give the new offer a try. He stayed for 14 years, finishing up with the Willie Lynch Band.
In the US, the music took him to many places, including Hawaii and Alaska.
He returned to Ireland in 1998, and began playing local gigs. He eventually settled in Moate, a town he came to love dearly. He trained to became a very good bartender and worked at Dr Cuppaige’s, The Elbow, and Castledaly Manor, serving many happy customers.
The 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York in 2001 had an effect on him, as he knew some of the firefighters who perished.
Brendan Ignatius never took himself too seriously. He loved nothing better than creamy pints of Guinness, horse-racing, good company and music.
Like all the family, hurling was a big part of Brendan’s life. Indeed he won an All Ireland Army hurling medal in 1972, while based with Western Command in Athlone.
It was his love of Offaly hurling that gained him the nickname ‘Keeshan’, after the famed Shinrone player Brendan Keeshan.
In recent times, his health began to fail and he was admitted to Tullamore Hospital on May 29, where he passed away 13 days later, at the age of 73.
His life was celebrated at his funeral Mass in St Carthage’s Church, in his native Killina, on June 15. Afterwards he was laid to rest in Rahan cemetery.
Brendan is survived by his brothers Alo (and partner Lynne), Aidan, (and his wife Martina) and his sister Bernadette (and partner Jim). He is greatly missed also, by his many cousins and a huge number of friends.
The Month’s Mind Mass for Brendan Ignatius will be in Killina Church at 10.30am this Sunday, July 12.
May he rest in peace.