Tributes following sudden death of Wexford council engineer Michael Jones – ’An absolute gentleman, always courteous and professional’

Michael of Ballykilliane, Drinagh, who was in his 50s was a member of the Special Projects Team in the local authority and was involved in delivering major capital developments including Min Ryan Park, Enniscorthy Technology Park, Gorey District Park and Carrigfoyle walking trails.

His unexpected death in Wexford General Hospital, following a brief and sudden illness, has caused widespread shock and sadness among his family, friends and colleagues.

Acting Director of Services Sean Meyler said Michael was one of the most experienced members of the project team with particular expertise in the management of construction projects and contract administration and supervision.

"Personally, he was an absolute gentleman, even-tempered, mild-mannered, never flustered, always courteous and always professional.”

A native of Wales, he joined the water services department of Wexford County Council in the mid-1990s and worked on the Wexford main drainage scheme, a major project credited with the transformation of Wexford town, as well as many other water service projects including waste water treatment plants around the county.

He joined the local authority’s Special Projects Team as one of its first members in 2016 and “his fingerprints are all over” ambitious projects including the proposed Trinity Wharf and during the past few years,  he was working almost exclusively on the first stages of the South East Greenway.

At a meeting of Wexford Borough District Council on Monday afternoon, Mayor of Wexford Maura Bell extended sincere condolences to Mr Jones’ wife Deirdre and his family and to local authority staff on the death of “our friend and colleague”.

County Council cathaoirleach George Lawlor said they all knew him as “one of the most gentle of gentlemen” and a “quiet, soft-spoken, understated individual” who worked on major projects in the Wexford district and the rest of the county and would be a great loss to the local authority.

Cllr Garry Laffan said he always found him to be a very likeable man while Cllr Leonard Kelly spoke of the “incredibly sad loss of a well-liked colleague”. Cllr David Hynes said a sudden passing is very hard, particularly for people who worked closely with him, and especially at Christmas time.

Michael is survived by his wife Deirdre; his children Emily and Ronan; his parents Eric and Jane; his sister Sarah; his sisters-in-law Nola, Tricia, Barbara and Mairead; brothers-in-law Eoin, Dermot, Fintan and David; his nieces and nephews; grandnieces and grandnephew and extended family and friends.

An avid sailing enthusiast and a member of Wexford Harbour Boat Club, he is also mourned by the sailing community locally.

His family have extended thanks to the staff of the Intensive Care Unit at Wexford General Hospital where he was looked after with care and compassion in the final days of his life.

Michael will be reposing at his residence in Drinagh on Tuesday, December 20 from 4pm to 7pm with removal on Wednesday morning, December 21 to St Martin’s Church in Piercestown for funeral Mass at 11 am, followed by cremation in Mount Jerome Crematorium, Harold’s Cross, Dublin at 3 pm.