John Healy
Castlebar
The Church of the Holy Rosary, Castlebar, was full to capacity, with hundreds more gathered on the pavement outside, for the Requiem Mass of businessman and hotelier, Tony McHugh (pictured).
Mourners travelled from all over Ireland and beyond to pay tribute to the 57-year-old father of three who died after a brave battle with cancer.
“Castlebar stood still on Friday last as the news of Tony’s passing spread throughout the region,” Fr Declan Carroll, chief celebrant of the Mass, told the congregation.
Fr Carroll, Parish Priest of Burrishoole and a former employee of Tony McHugh at the Welcome Inn Hotel, said that he would always be remembered as one in a million. He was, he said, always an optimist who employed hundreds of people in his lifetime, and who invested in the town and its development.
He paid tribute to Tony McHugh on his relationship with all who worked for him, describing the Welcome Inn as a place where people worked as one big family and where the staff were respected and appreciated by the McHugh family.
Fr. Carroll’s co-concelebrants included Fr Jim Buggy, Fr Atty Devine, Fr Charlie McDonnell, Fr Brendan Hoban and Canon Paddy Murray, old family friends, and Fr John Murray and Fr Pat Burke of Castlebar parish.
Music for the Mass was provided by the Mayo Concert Orchestra, under Director George Lee.
Fr Carroll said that Tony McHugh was a business leader and motivator who took great pride in seeing Castlebar develop as a major urban centre and in being able to offer employment to so many people.
“He did not hoard his money,” said Fr Carroll. “He invested it, and with his business partner James McTigue in Mountain View Securities he transformed Castlebar through residential, commercial and office development.”
Fr Carroll spoke of Tony’s love of sport and in particular his patronage and support of Mayo football. He was a generous sponsor of the Mayo senior team, and nothing pleased him more than the success of his beloved green and red.
Fr Carroll recalled that in 1998, when he was a curate in Inishboffin, the Galway title winning team had brought the Sam Maguire cup to the island.
Fr Carroll was allowed to use the trophy as the Mass chalice to honour the occasion.
“The only thing wrong was that it was on Galway soil,” he said. “However, I make this promise - that when the All-Ireland comes to Mayo, I will do the same thing, and I will offer the Mass for Tony McHugh,” he said, to sustained applause.
He spoke of Tony’s deep generosity, and his special affection for the Sacred Heart Hospital which he visited every Sunday, bringing the local papers to every patient in every ward. He also praised his discreet donations at Christmas time to those he felt needed a helping hand.
“The recipients never knew from where the gifts had come, because that was Tony’s way,” he said.
Offering the sympathy of the community to Tony’s wife, Mary, son Thomas, daughters Anita and Alison, mother Geraldine, sister Anne and family, he said that Tony’s earthly life was over, but his eternal life had just begun.
In an eloquent and moving tribute as Mass ended, Mary McHugh recalled that she and Tony had been married 29 years ago in the Church of the Holy Rosary, where now they were gathered to bid him farewell. She thanked all who had supported and prayed for them over the duration of Tony’s illness, and especially the doctors and nurses who had always been so co-operative and helpful.
Mary McHugh made a special plea for support for the National Blood Bank, given that Tony had come to avail so much of vital blood transfusions over his illness.
“Please donate a pint of blood the next time the Blood Bank visits Castlebar and do it for Tony McHugh,” she said.
After Requiem Mass, Tony McHugh was brought to his final resting place in the New Cemetery, Castlebar. Castlebar Mitchels and Castlebar Rugby Club provided guards of honour.
