John Ward (1911 – 1991 )

(2nd June 1911 – 1991 )

John Ward

John, like his brother Danny, worked the land in Srath Laoill Theas and An Charraig Uachtarach. In 1941 he married Grace Meehan of Mucros who worked as a primary school teacher. Shortly after marrying they moved to Donegal Town, where John had a public house on the Diamond and in 1947 they settled in Ballybofey, where he managed ‘The Central Bar’ on the main street. John also farmed a plot of land and had a great interest in animals and nature which he passed on to his seven children. A fiddle player himself, he was very fond of traditional music and indeed the first local meeting of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Eireann was held in his pub in Ballybofey. John Doherty, the travelling fiddler and tinsmith was a regular visitor to John’s pub.