Celtic Court, The Quay, Westport
The death took place on Thursday, March 27, following an illness borne with courage and dignity of Paddy Nolan, Celtic Court, The Quay, Westport.
He passed away peacefully in Mayo General Hospital with his wife and children by his side, and his death caused shock and great sadness among his family, friends and work colleagues.
Paddy was born May 2, 1949, eldest son of the late John and Agnes (nee Gavin) Nolan, Ardkeen, Kilmeena, but it was in Westport he lived most of his adult life. On March 15. 1971 he married Maureen (nee McNeely), the love of his life and his rock; they had just recently celebrated their 43rd wedding anniversary. Together they raised a family of four, two daughters and two sons.
Paddy was a man who took great pride in his work. He had worked for the same firm for over 40 years, Padraic McTigue Contractors, Castlebar and had been foreman with the company for many of those years. Paddy counted the McTigue family and his work colleagues among his closest friends. He would be one of the first to arrive at work and one of the last to leave. He enjoyed every aspect of his job be it at the planning stage, driving a machine or sorting out the problems/kinks afterwards. His work took him to many parts of the country over the years including water schemes in Dublin, Ennis and Clare Island in the late 1980s. He was also heavily involved in the installation of water schemes closer to home including that of his own native parish, Kilmeena.
Paddy will be very sadly missed by his heartbroken wife Maureen, his daughters Rosaleen Grady, (Westport), Shirley Little, (Co. Laois), his sons Aidain Nolan (Ardkeen, Kilmeena), Jonathan Nolan (Rosmindle, Kilmeena), sons-in-law Richard Grady and Niall Little, daughters-in-law Teresa Nolan and Sarah Joyce and his seven grandchildren whom he adored and was known to them as ‘Granda P’, Calum, Eabha and Emily Grady, Nathan, Ryan and Olivia Little and Rory Nolan. Paddy is also survived by his sister, brothers, aunts, cousins, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews and friends.
The huge crowds which gathered at McGings funeral home on the evening of Paddy’s removal, to St. Mary’s Church, Westport, to sympathise with his wife and family were a testament to the high regard in which he was held by his friends and the wider community.
Fr. Karl Burns celebrated his funeral Mass and in his homily spoke of Paddy as a family man and a loyal work colleague; he also paid tribute to his contribution to the parish and his many years of service as an offertory basket collector in St. Mary’s Church. Family members read the lessons and the prayers of the faithful, his sons brought the offertory gifts to the alter and his grandchildren brought gifts symbolic of various aspects of his life.
Following prayers by Fr. Jim Walsh, Paddy was laid to rest on a beautiful spring day in Myna Cemetery. May his kind and gentle soul have peaceful rest.
