Edward K. D'Arcy

Edward “Ned” D’Arcy, 97, of Worcester, MA, passed away August 2, 2025, surrounded by his family.

He leaves his wife of 67 years, Margaret (née Burke); brother Gerard D’Arcy of Quincy, MA; children Edward (Kati) of Worcester, Sean (Elizabeth) of Bethesda, MD, Deirdre Shea (Corneilius) of Shrewsbury, MA, and Kyle (Tristen) of Milton, MA; 13 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews in the U.S. and Ireland. He was predeceased by siblings Michael, Andrew, John, William, Maureen, and Margaret, and granddaughter Caragh D’Arcy.

Born January 12, 1928, in Magheramore, Oughterard, Co. Galway, Ireland, Ned was the fourth of eight children of Ned and May D’Arcy. In his youth he worked on the family farm and helped train and care for the family racehorse. Never idle, if he wasn’t spreading turf or reading, you could find him playing Gaelic Football. He competed at the local and county level as a prominent and gifted mid fielder.

He became an officer of the national police force of the Republic of Ireland, the Garda Síochána, and was stationed in Dublin, Sligo, and Mayo. He was on the champion Garda football team that won the Dublin City Cup in 1949.  According to his brother Willie, when Ned was transferred back to the Sligo barracks from Swinford, he asked his superior for the following Sunday off to play in the Mayo finals for Swinford. The sergeant declined. Ned quit on the spot, and “he was in America in a fortnight.” That, in a nutshell, was Eddie D’Arcy. As his nephew Eddie Casey once said, “There’s only one time, and it’s on that man’s watch.”

He arrived in Boston in Nov. 1949, from thereon retelling the story to his family each Thanksgiving of his arrival to “the land of milk and honey.” He continued playing Gaelic football while living in Dorchester, competing at Fenway Park and Gaelic Park. Edward served in the army of his adopted country during the Korean Conflict, achieving the rank of Staff Sergeant before his honorable discharge and return to Boston.

He met his match and the love of his life, Margaret Burke, at a dance in Brighton, MA. They married in January 1958, and Eddie Ned again moved west, this time to Worcester, where he and Peg would raise their family and remain for the rest of his life. There, they forged lifelong friendships with a tight-knit group of family and friends. The Burke, Flaherty, O’Doherty, McShea, and Shannon families were always on hand for celebrations, and all were welcome at “the round table.”

Ned had a long and well-respected career in the food industry, starting with H.J. Heinz, then as EVP and GM at C&S Wholesale Grocers. He also served as President of the New England Wholesale Food Distributors Association and later in his career worked as an independent consultant utilizing the strong relationships he had built up over the years in the food industry

A fixture in his community, he was a weekly communicant at Blessed Sacrament Church, a West Side Babe Ruth board member, and a longtime member of Wachusett Country Club, where you could find him most Tuesdays competing in the Harp and Shamrock Golf League.  He won the league title at the age of 85 and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and camaraderie of the league.

He returned to Ireland annually with his family, a highlight on the D’Arcy calendar. He was passionate about sports and competition, as well as reading any books and newspapers he could get his hands on. He cherished his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, and took immense pride in their many accomplishments.  Most of all he loved his wife Peg, to whom he was incredibly devoted to caring for in their final years together.  He will be missed terribly by all who knew him. 

His family would like to express their deep gratitude to the staff of The Health Center at The Willows who were so kind and compassionate to Ned in his final months.

Calling hours will be Friday, August 8, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Athy Memorial Home, 111 Lancaster St., Worcester. The funeral will be Saturday, August 9, with a Mass at 10 a.m. in Blessed Sacrament Church, 555 Pleasant St., Worcester. Burial will follow in St. John’s Cemetery, Worcester.

The funeral Mass will be livestreamed through the Blessed Sacrament Parish website: https://blessedsacrament.us/