Memories of Martin
On behalf of all Martins family we welcome you here today.
I’m going to spend just a few minutes paying tribute to Martin, we will have more time at the Dewsbury Moor Sports club, where we will spend more times celebrating Martins life. And everyone will get chance to share their memories of Martin.
It is with immense sadness and heartbreak that we are here today, we never expected this to happen and it feels desperately unfair.
But at the same time we want to celebrate Martin’s life, all our lives were enriched by him, in some way or other.
Martin was Born was born at home, number 146 Slaithwaite Road, Thornhill lees on the 4th February 1961, and sadly he left us way too soon at his family home 63 Dearn Hall Road, Barnsley on the 6th July 2023.
He was the 3rd born son of Matin and Margaret Keane, John and myself were his older brothers followed by his younger brother Brendan and his sisters Margaret and Helen.
In those early years Martin had difficulty pronouncing the letter ‘F’, he pronounced F as a W. He was heard to say my name is Martin Wancis Keane, same name as my Wather.
A story that went into family folklore.
Martin always had the ability to look cheeky, he seemed to have seen the funny side of something, but he wasn’t sharing what it was, I believe that stayed with him over the years.
He was quick, bright, intelligent but always a cheeky smile.
146 Slaithwaite Road (or Slouw’it road as Martin called it in later years when he was a postman), It was a 2 bedroomed house with six children and two parents, imagine.
As a family of Irish descent we went ‘Home’ to Ireland most years. It allowed us to let off steam in the country. Away from the industrial Dewsbury. Into the open air and the lively pubs in Ireland.
Mum isn’t here today, she is 94. And suffering from dementia, we haven’t been able to let her know about Martins early death, we all know the pain and heartbreak we felt to hear it once, but for Mum with this illness she would have to hear it, and re-live that every week.
When I was talking with her just last week, I asked about what she remembers most about living at the house on Slaithwait Road.
She said ‘I remember the lads, John, Tommy, Martin and Brendan, playing in the field, late into the evening, coming home covered in Mud.’
It’s funny how some memories from last week are so easily forgot and yet memories from 55 years ago have such clarity.
We all loved that field.
Slaithwaite Road and Dearn Hall Road both had big fields at the back. Martin and Diane created many happy memories in their Field at Dearn Hall Road, we will remember the parties and BBQ’s they hosted there. Martin and Diane loved to be with Family……..But I’m jumping ahead of myself, Matin has yet to meet Diane in this story.
So lets go to Martin and Diane Meeting for the first time.
It was back in 1982 Diane Nicholson was at the Fearnside Pub just down the road from here, she saw Martin. Her first thought was ‘He looks too young to go out with” but his cute good looks, his kindness and caring nature soon won Diane over and a few years later on 2nd May 1987 they were married, and from that point on they were together.
When Martin would come into a room where Diane was he would go and kiss Diane or Diane would kiss Martin, when either left a room, they would kiss. When they were out together, they held hands. They were in love and still are. That love has overflowed to all their family.
They loved their holidays together, Diane would arrange and Martin was happy to go to where ever Diane had arranged, but there had to be sun and often, sometime three times a year. Diane once found a holiday on Friday night and they flew out the next day.
One holiday in particular stands out, they had both turned 50 that year, so it had to be special, they went to Jamaica, horse riding on the beach, and into the sea. Then it was swimming with Dolphins.
It is no surprise that his last two words were reserved to say Dianes name twice.
As much as Martin loved his holidays in the sun, he always loved coming home, he loved being at home in the Garden or should I say ‘field’. He liked a good beer too, one of his nieces said when she saw Martin coming to their house she would quickly have a beer out of the fridge and ready for him to drink before he came through the door.
Martin and Diane didn’t have children themselves but they were the best Auntie and Uncle anyone could wish for. I heard one nephew say Martin was more like a “dad’ to him not just an Uncle, another said he was his best friend.
Martin was a family man who cared deeply for those around him, particularly his Nephews and Nieces.
One young nephew would be suddenly be ill on Thursday because he knew Martin was calling round and he wanted to spend time with him.
At times the cheeky humour would surface winding up the niece or nephew with, pointing his finger and saying “look at that nail (said with amazement), eventually when asked repeatedly, ‘which nail’ he would smile cheekily and say, the one at the end of my finger.
The humour wasn’t just reserved for the kids, when on holiday with Diane and she was getting her meal he would often duck behind their table, hiding from Diane, she couldn’t figure out where he’d gone, or where they were sitting. Then he would call her name to add to the confusion for her and when she was looking the others way he would then appear again, as if he’d always been there, but with that smile.
He was generous in every way, he was a good caring family man who wanted the best for those around him. Martin wasn’t complicated, he wanted people around him to be happy and he did all he could ensure that happened.
He was always there for Mum too, often when I arrived from Scotland, Martin could be found fixing something or something had been fixed by Martin. Just a few weeks before he got the diagnosis, Martin was painting Mums Kitchen in the pair of old sandals he keeps under the stairs. Most Thursdays he could be found visiting Mum.
He loved Live sports particular Tennis and horse racing, he even used online horse racing to regularly earn some cash, and he was always generous with his winnings.
Maybe because of the visits “home’ to Ireland he always supported Ireland, whatever the sport.
He also learned some good old Irish rebel songs and could give a good rendition of Boolavogue, especially if he had been lubricated by a few of those beers.
Martin loved and was loved by the whole family.
We didn’t just loose a husband or brother or uncle we lost a good friend, a Father, a good man who cared.
o
What Diane has gone through in the past few weeks has been a very painful and heartbreaking ordeal and she wanted to thank all the Family for their support through this time. So a big Thank You to you all. She wanted to mention the support from Maggie, Martin’s sister. The support Maggie and Diane gave meant that Martin could spend his last few days at home. Thank you Maggie.
I remember hearing that toward the end of Martin’s life he was hoping for rain, he wanted to feel the fresh rain falling on to him, he was concerned it may not happen before he died.I’m glad to say it did rain.
Every time it rains on me now, I think of Martin, and instead of moaning about the rain, I feel thankful for the fresh rain.
I have even started opening my mouth, catching the rain, like a child again.
This tribute is a Thank You to Martin, a thank you for the life he built with Diane and the way he shared his life with others.
Life is precious, the people around us are precious, I want to learn from Martin, not to be complicated but to appreciate the people in our lives, and care for each other. The reason life is precious is because life is short, let’s spend it well like Martin.
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