Item 11 - A Song for the Pope

Timothy Looney, a native of Cahir, county Tipperary, was born in 1914. A well-known local historian, he could regularly be found exploring local castles, churches, graveyards and sites of archaeological interest. He was known to challenge established beliefs and traditions and to use the evidence of cross-disciplinary elements such as documents and landscapes to offer alternative interpretations. His house on Pearse Street, a treasure trove of maps, books, documents and photographs, was a popular port of call for genealogists tracing their ancestors and for scholars researching historical topics. Looney’s collecting activities culminated in a remarkable salvage operation to recover papers from Shanbally Castle, county Tipperary prior to its destruction by a controlled explosion in March 1960.

In addition to his historical pursuits, Looney was an active member of his local community. He had a lifelong interest in the GAA, and was influential in the development of Gaelic games in Cahir. He was a tireless charity worker and fundraiser. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, he organised volunteers to travel around the country to collect money for the Central Remedial Clinic, known as the Little Willie Fund, to aid the plight of polio victims. A supporter of the trade union movement, he was also active in the Irish Transport and General Workers Union. He had a great fondness for Cahir, and campaigned prominently to save its historical railway station. Timothy Looney died in his native town in 1990.