"GO WHY way, eat thy bread with joy and drink thy wine with a merry heart: for God now accepted thy works. Live joyfully with thy wife whom thou lovest all the days of life. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might."
Bill Bradish would love to read those words from the Authorised Version of the Bible. He didn't simply read scripture - he proclaimed it. And he had a clear understanding and perception of scripture. He read the lessons every Sunday in church, but he saw the wisdom of involving more members of the congregation in it, too. That was wisdom.
Listening to Bill read was itself an education. He would have loved Ecclesiastes, the Preacher, which was read at his funeral. Man does not find contentment solely in knowledge, or possessions, or depending on other people. And it is not always the swiftest that wins the race or the strongest the battle. Ecclesiastes is not cut and dried and it ends with an allegory of the onset of old age and the progressive deterioration of the body. It sums up all its thoughts in a religious theme - "Fear God and keep His commandments", for this is the whole duty of man. Honour the Lord, honour your parents, don't murder, covet, be a false witness.
When I first came to my and his church, Bill Bradish told me that if I preached rubbish he would tell me! Not so long ago he said to me at the church door - "you know, I'm still listening to you." Little words of affirmation - we all need them. He always listened intently to every sermon. While the Book of Common Prayer and King James Authorised Version of the Bible were his first love he never once made a destructive criticism to me of modern liturgy. He also always attended, with his children and grandchildren, the monthly Family Service, which is a simple service for children.
Mr Don Carroll has told me what Bill called clergy - devil dodgers', a priceless phrase from one who was a master of a clever turn of phrase. He was one of the Army men who returned after the second World War, having fought at Arnhem, in North Africa, at Monte Cassino and other horrific battle fields. These ex soldiers made an important contribution to Irish life.
Behind the gruff exterior there was a caring heart. Bill Bradish once drove up to the Rectory and said that if I ever needed a confidential listening ear, to come to see him. He sometimes put down his thoughts to me on paper. He once rang me to attend a funeral of one who had contributed a lot of money to St. Iberius Church. It was a military order. He knew it was important and, as I discovered, it was.
We shared a passion for malt whiskey and when he produced a bottle of Midleton Rare I knew that I was in the company of one who knew his whiskey. One bishop was rather disappointed when Bill once said: "Too early for a strong tipple My Lord, we'll have a cup of tea"!!
All who knew him will have their own memories of one who, I suspect, didn't suffer fools gladly. He lived a full life, what with his work for youth, the army, business and the fine operation that he pioneered and operated at Ballymartin Farms. He loved shooting, too. Any man who bought Lonsdale, the majestic house overlooking the meandering Slaney, was a wise man indeed. I can still see him in the Blackrock Clinic and the thrill he felt at coming through his operation successfully. He left us gracefully and swiftly, with no fuss. I am sure it meant much to Bill Bradish that his son Patrick would continue in his stead and retain the family name in this idyllic part of Wexford. What a privilege it is for a father to have his son nearby. Our thoughts are also with his daughters and with dear Bridget, his wife and companion over a long married life. Bill has gone on before us, and I hear him reading the haunting wisdom of Ecclesiastes "Go thy way eat with joy, drink with a merry heart, live joyfully."