Joe Ward

Joe Ward was born in 1938 at Bailleborough Co Cavan, into a farming family, where there was seldom a day off and everyone was expected to help. Joe was the youngest of four children. He enjoyed the farming life but wanted to see the world, so he set off for London in 1954, staying initially with his sister.  It wasn’t long before he met Mary (Polly) and they were married in 1957. Joe worked as a Bus Conductor for London Transport.

By the mid 60s, with three children, John, Brian and Caroline, Joe and Mary wanted a better home and a garden. They moved to Luton and were ‘in heaven’ as they had a 3 bedroom house, and Joe had steady employment with a local engineering firm. A fourth child, Lisa was born in Luton and that’s where Joe and family stayed, becoming part of the Luton Irish community. 

Joe has a strong sense of social conscience and was involved in the Trade Union movement, to help improve working conditions. He was a leading member of the local Cavan Association, meeting old and new friends from his home county.

Joe was a founder member and Trustee for LIF, before retiring with an award in recognition of his service, presented by Ambassador Adrian O’Neill. Joe had also met An Taoiseach Enda Kenny, when LIF opened its doors on the redeveloped building Kathleen Connolly house in 2012. Together with fellow Trustees, Pauline Sylvester, Marion Curtis and Eammon Murtagh, Joe has represented LIF at committee meetings at the Houses of Parliament, meeting MPs to improve the lives of the Irish in Britain. Joe often attended receptions on behalf of LIF at the Embassy of Ireland. Former Ambassador Dan Mulhall would recognise him and other LIF Trustees, the moment they went up the Embassy stairs. 

After 53 years of marriage, Polly passed away in 2010 but Joe had great family and friends to support him and of course, his service to LIF. Joe and Polly had loved socialising within the Irish community at The Holy Ghost and St Joseph’s Social Clubs, where they often enjoyed dancing.    In 2012, Joe set off to Australia to meet his extended family and had a stop -over in Malaysia, where he visited some key attractions. Joe diarised his trip on Facebook, sharing the experience with friends back home. 

Joe is a well-loved man with a keen interest in genealogy, running the LIF genealogy group, which helped many members trace their roots. Joe even managed to find his own family who had emigrated to the US and met up with them in Dublin. Joe has contributed his story to Luton Irish Forum's Catching the Boat project as a way of passing down his memories of coming to the UK. Trustees Pauline Sylvester and Marion Curtis, reflected on their friendship with Joe. “He’s an interesting man and one who would always listen to you,” said Pauline and Marion said that she often learns a huge amount about local history and Irish folklore from Joe.