Gentle John’s family thank the people of Ballyfermot
By Maurice Garvey
The family of former ‘mayor of Ballyfermot’ John Nolan, has thanked the people of Ballyfermot for honouring his memory.
Gentle gent John Nolan, a flat cap wearing “man with a brush and cigarette” who was a familiar figure in the community, passed away on March 3.
Residents in the community helped out with funeral arrangements, and, along with St John of Gods, they helped to fund €500 for a bench and plaque in his honour outside the Ballyfermot Resource Centre.
John’s nephew Ieuan Powys Llewellyn arrived over from the England for the unveiling of the bench last week.
He expressed his gratitude to residents for “donating and contributing towards the bench and plaque for my late uncle ‘smoking John’ Nolan.”
Ieuan said: “The gesture is a great honour and relief for my family when we come over to Ireland and reflect about his kind manner and think about him whilst in the surroundings of Ballyfermot.
“My mum Anna, his elder sister here in Bournemouth, and his younger brother Con in Melbourne, Australia, are so proud.
“He may have been our dearly beloved relative, but he was known and loved in many Dublin districts. Ultimately he was a Ballyfermot legend.
David Dotsy Byrne, who runs the Legends of Ballyfermot page, expressed his disappointment that gardai refused to attend the unveiling.
