An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir May 2016 www.dfmagazine.ie 8 | by GERALD FLYNN J ames Leo Woods (17th August 1918 - 15th March 2016), sports- man, engineer and gregarious companion, was an exemplar of the post-independence generation. His friendliness and social networks made him a well-known personality in the Midlands through the 1950s, 60s and 70s and among a wide circle in Dublin in more recent years. Jim's military career during the Emergency formed his personality and made him a classic 'military man' - though most of his career was spent as a civil engineer. His military engineering background and intelligence demanded that projects be undertaken promptly and properly and not subjected to the political or bureaucratic delays and obstructions that he witnessed in parts of the public service. Jim Woods was born in Athenry, Co Galway, to schoolteachers, Bridget (née Coffey) and Francis Woods; the fourth of five children. His father died when he was five years old and Jim recalled his mother ar- riving back by train from a holiday in Kerry after receiving a telegram that her husband was ill, only to be met by a porter who sympathised with her on her loss: this is how she learned that she was widowed. He spent six years as a border in St Jarlath's in Tuam, which he re- membered as tough, spartan and a good introduction for later army life. A bright student, his schoolmasters persuaded him to sit the Intermediate Cert examination three times, as each time he earned a scholarship award for the school. In 1937 he started his engineering studies in UCG, having won another scholarship, where his talent for mathematics shone. He was also a notable sportsman, winning Connaught senior GAA medals at St Jarlath's. He was on Sigerson Cup winning teams in each of his years in UCG, captaining the team in his final year, and played senior football for Galway. At UCG he joined the Regiment of Pearse in the college's Officer Training Corps and on graduation seamlessly progressed into the Engineer Corps as the Second World War escalated. He worked on coastal defences and was based on Spike Island in Cork Harbour in charge of maintaining the searchlights on the fortifications at Fort Mitchel (Westmoreland), Fort Davis (Carlisle) and Fort Meagher (Camden). He remem- bers Royal Engineers from Britain being present on Spike Is- land, training Irish coastal defence artil- lery units to operate the two six-inch guns protecting the mouth of Cork Harbour. Jim played tennis with the British officers - who were always out of uniform - in Cobh's Rushbrooke Tennis Club. Jim also supervised the insertion of explo- sives into the elegant Belvelly Bridge linking Great Island to Fota. In later years when others speculated as to how long his efforts would have impeded the Wermacht from crossing the 20m creek, he laughed and agreed that the maximum inconvenience to Herr Hitler's forces would have been prob- ably less than an hour. His sport- ing prowess continued in the military where he was S Comd singles tennis champion as well as out-half on the Comd rugby team that played in a Munster senior cup final. After the war he started work as a road engineer in Connemara. He married Patricia (née Duffy), also from Athenry, in 1947 and shortly af- terwards secured a job with Westmeath County Council. In Mullingar he took up golf and was a popular member of the town's Lakeshore Golf Club, becoming captain in 1963. He returned last summer for a celebratory dinner as the longest surviving club member. He retained his military connections as a member of the reserve and the Civil Defence and was a regular visitor to the Officers' Mess in Columb Bks, Mullingar, along with an array of colourful characters who 'did their bit' in the Emergency and seemed to have enjoyed every minute of it. In 1970, Jim moved from the county council to become technical ser- vices officer with the Midland Health Board and commuted to Tullamore up to his retirement in 1984. He then moved to Dublin and enjoyed an active retirement between golf courses and horserace meetings. During his last ten years he lived in an apartment in the TLC care cen- tre in Santry. Despite failing eyesight, he continued to follow most GAA and rugby matches, golf tournaments and race meetings. Up until last year Jim walked about 8km a day – 'head up, chest out, on parade!' Jim is survived by his children Anne (Mills), Maeve (McGuirk), Declan and Hilda (Carr); 14 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren. His wife Patty predeceased him in 2004. A n A p p r e c i a t i o n Jim Woods in 1941 British Army Cpl EJ Thomas and his family during the evacuation of Spike Island on 11th July 1938. Photo: © National Library of Ireland Irish Army troops arrive in Cobh, Co Cork, on the day of the evacuation. Photo: © National Library of Ireland

• Cover