Remarks at the Funeral Mass of John M. Broderick, Sr. St. James Church, Arlington, Massachusetts April 11, 2001 Delivered by Timothy Broderick John, Johnny, Red, Seanruad, Pops. We each knew at least one of him.... My father was born in Boston, grew up at #3 Bailey Street, a triple-decker in Dorchester, and graduated from Dorchester High School in 1958. Dad learned to play cards upstairs at Grammy's, his grandmother who he said "knew every card that was played and who played it." He must have gotten a few pointers from her: he was a formidable opponent in cribbage, hearts, whist--he played 'em all. A voracious reader, Dad spoke about trading dime-store novels around the neighborhood when he was a boy. He regularly finished two or three books a week--especially history, historical fiction, and popular fiction. Dad started collecting stamps very young and kept a great passion for anything philatelic throughout his life. To receive a package from him was like a lesson in postal history. He was active for many years at regional stamp shows and was a strong advocate for youth stamp collecting. My father loved all kinds of music and he liked to play it LOUD. He had all kinds of stereo equipment and was quite an audiophile. He would gladly join a sing-along or lead a troop of Cub Scouts in song. He bragged about us children to anyone who would listen, and cheered us at soccer games, Little League, and high school basketball. John was also active in the local community with the Lions Club and the Arlington Recycling Committee. He enjoyed keeping up with local issues online with the Arlington mailing list. My Dad was especially well known online in genealogy circles. Along with sharing his exhaustive knowledge of Irish genealogy, he developed the Irish Townlands Database website which now has a tremendous following worldwide. Dad had a sharp eye and he'd let you know about the smallest omission, but his attention to detail was widely appreciated. John was playful and witty and enjoyed people, often passing on a joke or passing off a funny story. A true Irishman, he left us far too soon.