Acclaimed broadcaster and songwriter laid to rest

FORMER Garda John Duggan, who became a nationally acclaimed songwriter and broadcaster following his retirement from the force, was laid to rest in his adopted Claremorris yesterday (Wednesday) after a private family funeral.

Following his retirement as a garda in the late 1980s, John, who was born in the parish of Killashee, Co. Longford, joined Midwest Radio as a presenter of the ‘Rambling House’ programme, which became hugely popular.

He spent more than 30 years as a garda, serving first at Donnybrook and Crumlin stations in Dublin and later in Carlow before moving to Glenamaddy, Co. Galway, where he spent 20 years.

He had a huge passion for writing songs, stories and recitations.

Living in Glenamaddy, which was considered the Nashville of the west of Ireland in the 1970s, inspired John to try his hand at song-writing.

His first composition, 'I’ll go back to Glenamaddy’, was inspired by the sight of a married man with a young family having to leave to go to work in London during the winter months in order to keep food on the table.

John once wrote that ‘the plain people of Ireland’ had inspired his stories and it was with them that his roots and loyalties were firmly planted.

Brendan Shine was just one of the many top performers who took an interest in John’s songs and recorded them.

The ‘Rose of Castlerea’, ‘I’ll go back to Glenamaddy’ and ‘The Races of Killadoon' featured on a RTÉ television show ‘Nice and Easy’ over 40 years ago.

Other songs written by John were also recorded by Foster & Allen, Daniel O’Donnell, T.R. Dallas, Brian Coll, Gene Stuart, Hugo Duncan and Seamus Moore, amongst others.

The popular songwriter, who passed away at Mayo University Hospital, Castlebar, earlier this week, was laid to rest in Claremorris yesterday (Wednesday) after a private family funeral attended by his wife, Gretta, family and close friends.