A PHOTO of Mike Foley, taken on Country Fair Day four years ago, helps sum up part of his personable nature.

He’s standing on the Fair Green with his friends and neighbours, Brian McInerney, Pat Normoyle, Jim Wallace and his daughter Ciara enjoying their annual pilgrimage to the fair. “We missed Ballinasloe terrible last year,” Mike said back in February 2021 in his All In The Family feature.

All in the family just summed up Mike Foley. Being accompanied by wife Bernie and daughters, Sarah and Ciara, for Ballinasloe, GAA fixtures and country show outings made his day out complete.

Teaming up with his brother Timmy to show Betsy, his All Ireland champion donkey mare bought the day after the couple’s wedding and her foal; helping his girls get this famous prizewinner ready for a fancy dress donkey class; breeding Harrison, a big showring winner for brother Tom and his pride in his adored daughters’ interest in farming and Simmentals, Mike’s favourite cattle breed, were all hallmarks of this family man.

His interest in shows and horses was another family tradition as his father Tim was a a backbone member of their local show: Kildysart, and sister Mary was its secretary for several years.

Some of Mike’s earliest fair day memories were of scenes from Kilrush and his father loading up horses at “three or four in the morning to get a spot on the fair green at Spancil Hill.”

His friendly, helpful nature was a perfect match for his job in the Kerry Agribusiness Co-op store in Ennis, where Mike worked since 1997.

Classed as an essential business, it stayed open during the pandemic and there is no doubt that his trademark banter and craic, particularly during lockdown, brightened customers days.

Just like his brother Tom is, Mike was a fount of knowledge about West Clare stallions and bloodlines - Coevers and Blue Lanza stood with their late neighbour Joe McNamara, just across the fields from their Clonola farm - and Mike had a particular fondness for traditional bloodlines.

The Easy Lift mare Clonola Daisy Bell, spotted at a horse sale in Ennis mart, was his first purchase and she produced several champions for the Foleys, including the Harlequin du Carel-sired Harison.

Sadly missed

Mike was busy helping his daughter Sarah with her German homework when we spoke that February evening for his article. He and Bernie spoke movingly about losing their toddler son Kieran to meningitis in 2007 and that tragic loss made for an even more closely bonded family.

Sadly, Mike passed away last March after a battle with cancer; a battle during which he was, typically, more concerned about his family than himself.

“We just have to get on with our lives and make the best of it,” was Mike’s comment about lockdown, a poignant roadmap now too for his family.

He will be missed today on the Fair Green but most of all by his family.

S.F.