Columba Ward (1917 – 1999)

(10th August 1917 – 26th June 1999)

Columba Ward

Columba, the youngest boy in the family, attended Saint Eunan’s College, Letterkenny. Afterwards, he worked in various positions, firstly selling insurance in the parishes of Gleann Cholmcille and Cill Charthaigh. This position also allowed him to indulge in his passion for local history and lore. In 1948 Columba married Joan Garvey of ‘The Mill’, in Leitir, Cill Charthaigh and they had two children together. Indeed, Columba worked at the mill until it closed in 1954. The following year he began a long career with the Electricity Supply Board, which continued up until his retirement in 1982. He had a great interest in family genealogy, the Gaelic language and football, but music was his first love. As well as the fiddle, Columba played the accordion and harmonica. He spent much of his time playing with and listening to the music of Jimmy Lyons, Frank Cassidy, John Doherty and James Byrne. He had a great aptitude for remembering and demonstrating different settings of tunes up until he passed away in 1999.