Commandant Denis Kevin Croke was laid to rest on Monday having died aged 76 after a long illness.

He died peacefully at his home in Inchanisky, Mountrath, Co. Laois, on August 28, with his family by his side.

Born on August 8, 1950, and was raised at 82 Main Street, Portlaoise, Kevin also spent time living in Dunlavin, Co Wicklow.

His funeral mass was held in SS Peter and Paul’s Church, Portlaoise on Monday afternoon.

Symbols were brought up to the altar representing important aspects of his life, including an officer’s hat representing his time in the army, and leather hat representing his love of horses.

He enlisted in the Irish Defence Forces on April 6, 1972 as a member of 47 Cadet Class. He was commissioned on April 2, 1973, into the Infantry Corps and was posted to 4 Infantry Battalion in Collins Barracks, Cork. 

His late father, also named Kevin, was a lieutenant in the Local Defence Force, the forerunner of An Fórsa Cosanta Áitiúil.

Kevin served with the Air Corps for a significant part of his career. The appointments he held there included personal staff officer to the officer commanding air corps, squadron commander admin wing, and station quartermaster. Many members will remember Kevin from his time with ‘Q’ Administration Section of the Quartermaster Generals Branch from 1983 to 1988.

He was camp commandant at Coolmoney Camp and OC Training Area Glen of Imaal in Wicklow from 1994 until 2001.

Kevin’s final appointment, prior to retirement in August 2006, was officer commanding 9 Infantry Battalion An Fórsa Cosanta Áitiúil.

Overseas with UNIFIL in Lebanon Kevin was quartermaster Number 7 Irish Component from October 1982 to May 1983 and quartermaster 63 Infantry Battalion from April to November 1988.

Kevin had a lifelong association with equine sport, both nationally and internationally, and was appointed as a course director by the Fédération Équestre Internationale.

He was a former chairperson of Horse Sport Ireland, president of the Irish Quarter Horse Association, vice-chairperson of the Irish Long Distance Riding Association, chairperson of the Irish Draught Breeders Association and of the Equestrian Federation of Ireland. 

He was a course director, organiser and judge for national and internation endurance competitions, and was chef d’épuipe at both the European Championships and World Equestrian Games.

Kevin was the owner of the Delour Valley Stud at Inchanisky, Mountrath, County Laois.

Despite the diagnosis that led to his final illness, Kevin continued to attended and officiate at equestrian events both at home and abroad.

His son, also named Kevin, stated in a moving eulogy: “Dad was so many things to so many people, and he was always keen to see people succeed.”

Many people knew him as “’Kevin the army man’ or ‘Kevin who had a few horses’”, and he “had a very strong sense of justice and right and wrong and he would help anyone who was in need,” according to Kevin junior.

He added: “Dad would be very chuffed with the turnout and the number of people who made the effort to be here.

“Despite how much he did for other people, he was always taken aback by how appreciative they were, as he felt he was just doing what was the right thing to do.”

His daughter Yvonne said her father’s second greatest love outside of his family was for horses.

As a youngster he used to take neighbours horses out for a ride in the local fields of Portlaoise.

The first horse the family remember is a chestnut stallion who was called Billy.

Kevin was pre-deceased by his parents Kevin and Bessie Croke, and his young daughter Colette.

He is mourned by his wife of 50 years Colette, his children Yvonne, Elaine and Kevin, and grandchildren Ben, Juliette and Bradley.

Kevin is also survived by sisters Joan, Clodagh, Kyra, Louise and brother John, his daughter-in-law Addie, Dylan, André, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, aunts and cousins.