Bellaghy Willie Obituary, Death – William (Willie) McGuckin, who lived on William Street in Bellaghy and passed away on Thursday evening, was a beloved member of the POP community, and we were heartbroken to learn of his departure this morning. Willie, who was 95 years old at the time, was the epitome of a great gentleman. He never missed a chance to say hello to anyone that went by his house and did so without fail. The photograph that can be found on the left shows Willie in the early 1960s working on the construction of the new Lemnaroy school. You can find this shot on the left.
This photograph was taken by my late father, who worked on the construction project and served as the Clerk of Works. Willie was an accomplished accordionist, and he, his late brother Terry, and Stewartie all played in an accordion ensemble at St. Mary’s referred to as Bellaghy. Willie is the first accordionist seen on the left side of the picture, and Terry and Stewartie are the first accordionists shown on the right side of the picture
. Maud Rainey, who is still living in Portglenone, is the widow of his late brother Stewartie, who was married to her. Stewartie was married to Maud before he passed away.During this trying time, I would like to offer my most sincere condolences to his wife Brigid, his son Liam, his daughter Marie, his daughter-in-law Cathy, his granddaughter Amy, and the rest of the McGuckin family. I am very sorry for your loss.