Fr Patrick Nolan

The death took place suddenly on January 10 last, of Fr Patrick Nolan, Parish Priest of Spanish Place, Camden Town in London and formerly of Aughagower, Westport.
He was son of the late Garda Sergeant John Nolan and Ellen (Swift) Nolan, one of a family of five. He was born in Donegal where his father was stationed, later spending some years in Bonniconlon. He received his post-primary education at St Muredach’s College, Ballina and later moved to London where he trained as an accountant. In 1970 he took the decision to study for the priesthood and much of his study period was in Rome where he was ordained in 1975. He was appointed to the parish of Our Lady in Camden Town with a further appointment to the parish of the Most Holy Redeemer, St Thomas More, in Chelsea and then to St James’s Spanish Place, as PP, remaining there until his retirement in 2002. In retirement he served as a substitute priest in various London parishes. Fr Patrick had a great interest in sport, especially horses. On his frequent visits to Mayo he was a regular attender at Westport Horse Show, where he was also a sponsor, Bonniconlon Show and Crossmolina Show. He also timed his visits to include the Westport Horse Fair and dinner.  He spent much of his leisure time at home riding horses at the Drumindoo Stud and Equestrian Centre where he had a great relationship with the Foy family. He was also a frequent visitor to the Kenagh Riding School run by Matt Jordan and family. He was an avid Harley Davidson motor-bike enthusiast and also had a special interest in the work of the Aughagower Tidy Towns Committee.
He had many friends in Aughagower, Westport, Bonniconlon, Galway and various other parts of the west, and will be sadly missed by them all. He had a great interest in Lawn Tennis and was on first-name terms with many of the leading figures at Wimbledon. Reading, especially the daily papers, was another one of his pastimes.
Speaking at his funeral Mass in St James’s Church, Spanish Place, London, Monsignor Martin Hayes of Archbishop’s House, Westminster, delivered the following eulogy:
“Fr Pat, Padraic to his family and friends, will be remembered with affection by family and friends, colleagues and parishioners, as a man of energy and enthusiasm for life. He was kind and generous, friendly and humorous. Some will have memories of Padraic the accountant, others of Fr Pat the priest with compassion for the sick and elderly.
Pat trained in accountancy at night school in London and then worked for Westminster City Council, rising to become Chief Accountant. He felt called to the priesthood and began seminary formation at the Pontificio Collegio Beda, Rome, in 1971. Fellow students remember him as affable and gregarious. On March 31, 1975 Pat was ordained in St Paul’s Basilica by Cardinal Knox. Fr Pat’s first appointment as assistant priest was at Our Lady of Dolours, Hendon. In 1980 he went to St Gabriel’s, Harrow South. He was appointed parish priest of Our Lady of Hal, Camden Town, in 1982. Fr Pat had a natural rapport with the large Irish congregation, having been born in Co Donegal and living in Co Mayo before settling in London. His next appointment was parish priest at Our Most Holy Redeemer and St Thomas More, Chelsea, in 1989, succeeding Bishop Pat Casey who went to live in retirement in Brentwood Diocese. Cardinal Hume explained to Fr Pat that the parish was then in need of an energetic priest and that he was sure Fr Pat would do very well there. Fr Pat was very happy in Chelsea, where he remained until 1997. These years were, perhaps, the happiest years of his priestly life. Failing health necessitated moving from Chelsea. Fr Pat underwent major heart surgery, making such a good recovery that he asked Cardinal Hume for another appointment. To his surprise, in 2001 Fr Pat was appointed parish priest of St James’, Spanish Place where he remained until his retirement in March 2002. He subsequently offered his willing service as a supply priest, making himself available to minister in various parishes of the Diocese and this he did with his customary good humour.
Along with parish ministry and duties in Chelsea Fr Pat served as a Chaplain to the Order of Malta, having previously served as Diocesan Chaplain to the Union of Catholic Mothers from 1976-1991. He enjoyed going on pilgrims to Lourdes, ministering to the sick and frail and making himself available to listen to them at length. Fr Pat served for many years as a trustee of the Beda Association giving great support and attending at the annual reunions whenever possible. He also served as a trustee of the St Barnabas Society for over twenty years. He brought skills and experience from his former career as an accountant to these positions, as well as his duties in parochial ministry. For recreation, Fr Pat rode horses both in Ireland and in London, and was good at Irish dancing. He loved the company of the many friends he made both in Ireland and in the Diocese and the regular visits of his nephew, Kevin, married to Sarah.
Fr Pat was assisting at a reconciliation liturgy before Christmas, during which he fell and broke a femur. At 84 years of age he was still keen to bring the love and compassion of the Lord to others. He was hospitalised and then was able to return home to his flat in Camden where he died peacefully on January 10, aged 84 years. Born on March 30, 1929, Fr Pat ministered as a priest for 38 years.
Fr Patrick is mourned by cousins and relations in Aughagower and throughout Mayo and by the many loyal parishioners he served during his priesthood.
He had a special love for the works of William Butler Yeats with a particular fondness for the words of the Wild Swans of Coole.

“But now they drift on the still water,
Mysterious, beautiful,
Among what rushes will they build,
By what lake’s edge or pool
Delight men’s eyes when I awake some day
To find they have flown away”.

Among the tributes paid to him was one from his Aughagower cousin, Tommy Nolan.
“He served his parishes well throughout his priestly life. He made so many friends all over the world and loved them all. But he had a special affection for the friends he had in lovely Ireland”.
Fr Patrick was laid to rest in Henden Cemetery, London. Peace to his kind and noble soul.