Thomas Kenny (Rest in Peace)

Thomas Kenny (Rest in Peace). My Dad- A fisherman, footballer, bowler, singer, husband, grandfather, uncle, coach, fitter, carpenter, family taxi driver, strongman, huntsman, gardener, forgiver, encourager, friend, example and hero passed away in the early hours of Christmas morning. He was ready to go and leave this old world and is now at peace.He was always great fun at Christmas time and would want those who knew him to think of the good times they shared together.He was almost eighty seven years old and the youngest of seven children born to William and Martha, after Billy, Lilly, Anne, Andy ( pre WW1) Ella and Mary (post WW1).He will be sadly missed and remembered for being a great family man and a loyal friend to all who knew him.

He did not speak much about his faith but rather preferred to sing about it! I remember as a child listening to my Mum and Dad sing 'Farther Along We'll Understand Why' among other hymns. At the local Methodist Church where we attended when I was a child, he loved it when we sang the old Wesley hymns such as 'Oh for a thousand tongues to sing my great Redeemers's praise' and 'And Can it be that I should can an interest in the Saviour's blood'. Though he was a Fitter in the Ship Yard in Belfast I never heard him swear once no matter how angry he got- I remember him more for his smiles and his laughter!  I also don't  remember ever being smacked, though I knew a look from him was enough for me to mend my ways if I had done something wrong!

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

’Tis mystery all: th’Immortal dies:
Who can explore His strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries
To sound the depths of love divine.
’Tis mercy all! Let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more.
’Tis mercy all! Let earth adore;
Let angel minds inquire no more.

He left His Father’s throne above
So free, so infinite His grace—
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!

Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray—
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

Still the small inward voice I hear,
That whispers all my sins forgiven;
Still the atoning blood is near,
That quenched the wrath of hostile Heaven.
I feel the life His wounds impart;
I feel the Savior in my heart.
I feel the life His wounds impart;
I feel the Savior in my heart.

No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;
Alive in Him, my living head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

 Hearing my Dad sing these songs with such passion and feeling gave me my first love for them, which was later to be increased when the words were to resonate  with my own spiritual conditional-that is, when I came to faith and was born again of the Spirit of God and could then fully appreciate the words. My Dad did come to faith himself when he was fifty. My mum and sister were already Christians at the time. He had a cancerous growth on his neck and had to go into the hospital to get it removed. I knew my Dad was worried that this would be' the end game' for him. It made us pray with intensity and I even prayed that God would give me my Dad's cancer in order that he would have time to come to faith- and if possible he would come to faith soon.Call it a miracle if you like-my Dad did come to put his trust in Christ that week and the cancerous growth was discovered to be benign!  On his death bed a few weeks ago he told us  that he had asked God into his heart and that he was ready to go to be with his Maker. 

My Dad supported me in all my sporting ventures and he often got involved with coaching and encouraging the players, as well as giving us lifts to the matches.

Old age did not come easy to my Dad. He had always been an active man, so struggling physically was irksome to him! 

With Ethel the love of his life for over sixty years.

On holiday here. He never drank alcohol and never needed it to be the life and soul  of the party. He loved to sing till late on : be it 'Galway Bay' , 'Kathleen ' or 'Danny Boy', He loved to sing and sing well he did!

 Sitting beside my hero Dad, the biggest, strongest and wisest man on the earth who I believed could sort out any problem and fix anything that was broken.

               Three generations of Kennys- my dad Tom, myself and my son Andrew jnr.

 Christmas time many years ago. Tom bringing in the Turkey. He liked to have the job of carving it!Apart from that he never did much in the kitchen. He brought home the Bacon and my mum cooked it, set the table and cleared up afterwards!

My Dad loved his two Springer Spaniel dogs, Paddy and Clyde, who he had trained well as gun dogs.