Longford mourns 'perfectionist' and 'legend of photography' Joe McDonagh

Many tributes have been paid to legendary photographer Joe McDonagh, a long-time employee of the Longford Leader who passed away recently. 

Joe covered all the major local and national events over several decades in Longford and beyond. 

He was one the newspaper's most familiar faces and he hung up his camera, after an illustrious 42 years career, at the end of December 2012. 

Joe moved seamlessly through all the technological advances in photography from black and white to colour and then on to digital.

He was a familiar face at everything from agricultural shows to schools plays, graduation dances to election counts and he photographed generations of Longford people at some times in their lives.  

Many of his colleagues paid tribute to him with many noting his kind nature and described him as a "gentleman". 

"Wonderful fond memories of our time working together at the Longford Leader, Joe was a man of many talents and a perfectionist at whatever he did. He was a deep thinker and a loyal friend. Deepest sympathy to all. Rest in peace Joe," John and Margie Faughnan of Moneylagan, Longford wrote in condolence.

In December 2019, Joe was immensely proud as he launched his second collection of cameos, entitled ‘Right now. “I Am”. Not here. Not there. Book 2’, a collection of many wise and philosophical sayings. 

When Joe first started creating his beautiful and inspirational cameos, he shared them on Facebook once a week and they gained enormous traction. A selection of the cameos were also published in the Longford Leader. 

Joe published his first book, 'Right Now. “I Am”. Not here. Not there.',  in 2018, and explained that “the idea came from when I had cancer, plus everything else that had happened to me in my life.”

In an interview, Joe revealed, “The cancer took the two legs from under me and changed my life completely - wiped everything out overnight.

“The way I could cope with it is I had been looking at spirituality for decades, bit by bit - drip feeding it. And it built up.

“With all the lessons I learned since I had the cancer and everything else, people often say to me ‘Jaysus, I’d love to have an attitude like you’.”

Gerard Taylor of Carrick-on-Shannon, and ex-Leitrim Observer, described Joe as "a legend of the photography scene in Longford".

Offering his condolences to the family, Declan Shanley wrote: "He was a great colleague in the Longford Leader and great craic to be around. May he rest in peace".

Saddened to learn of death of ace former @Longford_Leader photographer Joe McDonagh. Another character gone from the dark room era pic.twitter.com/GJwVXAnFPO

— Joe Flaherty (@joefla) February 7, 2024

Former colleague Sheila Reilly, now of the Irish Examiner wrote: "He was a great colleague in the Longford Leader, a supremely talented photographer and lots of fun to be around. May he rest in peace".

One couple recalled, "Very sorry to hear of Joe’s passing. Have known him for a long time. He was our wedding photographer many years ago and more recently got to know him as a neighbour in Abbeycartron and often stopped for a chat, usually about dogs and gardening, and to admire his beautiful roses."

Joe died peacefully on Tuesday, February 6, 2024. He was pre-deceased by his sister Angela Nerney.

Joe will be sadly missed and remembered with love by his family, daughter Katie, sons Keith and David and their mother Yvonne, daughters-in-law Aileen and Róisín, grandchildren Dylan, Una, James, Cara, Sean, Eoin and Aaron, nephews Niall and Tony Nerney, relatives, extended family and friends.

He will be reposing at Glennon’s Funeral Home, Ballinalee Road (N39 EC81) on Thursday (February 8) from 5.00pm concluding with prayers at 7.00pm. Cremation service will take place at Lakelands Crematorium, Cavan at 12 noon on Friday.