Thomas F. McInereney

Founded Gaelic

American Club           of Fairfield

Thomas F. McInerney, Sr, 78, died October 27 in Mid-State Medical Center in Meriden, with his four children by his side. He had been recuperating from recent heart surgery and succumbed from complications from a heart attack.

He is survived by his children, JoAnne and her husband, Mark Stange, of Newtown, Thomas, Jr and his wife, Louise, of Derby, Michael and his wife, Cathleen, of Prospect, and Daniel and his wife, Daureen, of Trumbull; four grandchildren, Karen, Marissa, Kevin, and Daniel William II; and one great-grandson, Bradley. He is also survived by his brothers, Matty McInerney of Galway, Ireland, and James McInerney of Fairfield; his sisters, Anne Bellew of Easton, Bridie McCormack of Fairfield, Theresa McCormack of Fairfield, Christina O’Donnell of Fairfield, and Maura O’Loughlin of Galway, Ireland; and many nieces and nephews both here and in Ireland. He was predeceased by his loving wife, Nora McCarthy McInerney. His brother, Michael McInerney of Galway, Ireland, also predeceased him.

Mr McInerney was born in Kinvara, County Galway, Ireland. After working for a short time as a coal miner in England, he immigrated to the United States and settled in the Bridgeport area where he was a lifelong resident. He was a devout communicant of St Augustine Cathedral parish for the past 47 years. Together with his wife Nora, he was a founding member of the Gaelic American Club of Fairfield and he was a very active member throughout his life. He was also a member of the New Haven Gaelic Football and Hurling Club. Mr McInerney loved the Gaelic sport of hurling and played for many years on the Connecticut State Hurling team, including the 1951 team, which won the Junior Hurling Championship of the New York League. He was associated with the hurling team as both a player, and later as a coach, for almost four decades and continued to enjoy the sport through weekly satellite broadcasts of games from Ireland. He was employed at Carpenter Technology Corporation in Bridgeport and retired in 1987 after 41 years of service.

The funeral was held October 31 from the Larson Funeral Home, Bridgeport, and in St Augustine Cathedral in Bridgeport with a Mass of Christian Burial. Interment was in Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Trumbull.

Memorial donations may be made to Swim Across the Sound, c/o St. Vincent’s Medical Center, 2800 Main Street, Bridgeport CT 06606.

The Newtown Bee        November 4, 2005