ARCO regrets to inform its members of the death of Brigadier-General James J. Farrell, Trabeg Lawn, South Douglas Road, Cork and formerly of Clones, County Monaghan. On May 24th, 2025, peacefully, at Beaumont Residential Care. Dearly loved husband of Maureen and much-loved father of Emer, Tiernach and Úna. Sadly missed by his loving wife and family, sister Ann, son-in-law Eugene, daughter-in-law Mandy, Emer’s partner Michael, grandchildren Eoin, Emma, Diarmuid, Captain Deirdre Fahy (Retired), Fergus, Molly, Niamh, Aisling and Sinéad, great-grandchildren, relatives, Defence Forces comrades and friends.
May he rest in peace
James J (Jimmy) Farrell was born on 11th September 1935 and grew up and was educated in Clones, County Monaghan. He enlisted in the Defence Forces as a member 29 Cadet Class on 10th December 1954. Jimmy was Cadet Captain of his class and is pictured centre in the front row of the Class Photograph. A talented Gaelic footballer he was a member of the Military College team that won the Kildare Senior Football Championship in 1956, defeating Ballymore Eustace. Jimmy was commissioned into the Infantry Corps on 26th November 1956 and posted to 4 Infantry Battalion, Cork, a unit he had a long association with.
As a Lieutenant, he served as Platoon Commander, B Company, 35 Infantry Battalion from June to December 1961. Wounded by shrapnel in the fighting in Elisabethville during Operation Morthor, he was evacuated by air to Leopoldville for treatment. Other overseas postings included UNFICYP in Cyprus and UNIFIL in Lebanon where he was Second-in-Command 58 Infantry Battalion from November 1985 to April 1986 and Officer Commanding 62 Infantry Battalion from November 1987 to April 1988.
Jimmy was an Instructor at the Cadet School in the early 1960s and graduated from the United States Army Infantry School, Fort Benning, in 1964. He was among that small band of officers who completed the first ever Army Ranger Course held in 1969.
As a Lieutenant-Colonel Jimmy commanded 12 Infantry Battalion, Limerick. He was Executive Officer Training Section at Defence Forces Headquarters from late 1989 when he deployed with the United Nations Observer Group in Central America (ONUCA). Later, as a Colonel, he returned to Defence Forces as Director of Training. He was Officer Commanding the Military College in 1994 and his final appointment was General Officer Commanding, Southern Command.
Reposing at the Temple Hill Funeral Home, Boreenmanna Road of Jeremiah O’Connor Limited on Tuesday (May 27th) from 5.00pm to 6.00pm. Requiem Mass at 11.00am on Wednesday (May 28th) in Saint Columba’s Church, Douglas: http://douglasrochestownparish.ie/webcams/ Funeral afterwards to The Island Crematorium, Rocky Island, Ringaskiddy, County Cork.
Members may wish to leave personal messages in the ‘Condolences’ section of Jimmy’s death notice on rip.ie at: https://rip.ie/death-notice/james-j-farrell-monaghan-595077
