Streamstown, Westport
THE death occurred, suddenly, of Malcolm Billington, at his home in Streamstown on Thursday, April 28 2016. He was the beloved husband of Sarah Billington, née Staunton, and adoring father to their daughters, Lottie, 4 and Rosie, 3.
Malcolm had been living in Ireland for the past ten years, starting out in Louisburgh where his twin brother Noel lives with his family. Mal had a wide circle of friends in the Louisburgh area through his work in Nomadic Structures and his involvement in the pantomime and other community pursuits.
Love brought Mal closer to Westport when he met and married Sarah. They were a united and devoted couple whose complete and utter affection and respect for each other was always in evidence in the gentlest, most low key way.
Anyone who met Mal and experienced his beaming smile at first hand could not but have been buoyed by his good humour and courtesy. His friends were legion and came from all walks of life, such was his ability to make meaningful connections in any company. His father-in-law was the late Seán Staunton, former editor of this newspaper, and the two were firm friends.
Following the births of his daughters, Mal devoted himself to their upbringing. Together with their mother, Sarah, they were truly his everything. At the service of thanksgiving and farewell in celebration of his life in Holy Trinity Church on Sunday, 1 May, at which the Revd. Val Rogers officiated, Mal’s niece, Heather Billington, spoke eloquently about a loving and generous uncle who was effectively a third parent to her, her sister, May and brother, Myles, and of the family’s delight when Mal met Sarah and went on to have a family of his own. She wished him love and light on his journey.
His identical twin Noel got a laugh from the brokenhearted mourners when he said he had known Malcolm a good nine months longer than anyone else. He said he couldn’t say with certainty if there was a special bond between twins but that there was a large hole in his heart which would never be filled. He spoke of Malcolm always trying to find the positive in a situation and hoped everyone could follow his example of finding the joy in small and simple things and cherishing each other. He remembered his father Jack and paid special tribute to his mother, Mollie, as an inspiration in her children’s lives saying her love shone through Malcolm like a beacon.
“When such a brilliant and beautiful light is extinguished so unexpectedly … the world suddenly seems a darker place,” he said.
Mal’s sister in law, Reine Staunton, remarked on Mal’s enviable sense of himself saying: “He never needed anyone’s approval or tried to fit in or change himself for any company. That was a great strength of his … I suspect we all learned from his absolute honesty and integrity.” She spoke too of his constant willingness to help others, his sense of gratitude and ability to focus on the good in people. She thanked, on the family’s behalf, the first responders, paramedics and her cousin, Colm Staunton, who tended to Mal on the morning of April 28 and all who had supported the family in the days following Mal’s death.
Revd. Val Rogers urged the congregation to take hope from the example of Mal’s life and comfort one another in grief. Although Mal, being mortal, was a “work in progress”, it might be said he was a little further progressed than some of us. Revd. Rogers said we must be open to finding some good in this sadness, however difficult it was to comprehend the loss of Malcolm.
The reading was given by Mal’s sister, Deb, who had travelled from South Africa; prayers were offered by Mal’s family and friends and a photo of Malcolm with his mother, Mollie, was placed on the coffin by Mal’s mother-in-law, Sal Staunton.
The service, at which family friend, Fr Charlie McDonnell, Fr Micheál MacGréil and Fr Mattie Long were also in attendance, was a true celebration of Mal’s life. Singers and musicians from the Louisburgh community, led by Sarah McEvoy and Brian Parsons gave moving renditions of ‘On Eagle’s Wings’, ‘Days’ and ‘Amazing Grace’ and Kathy Quinn played a flute solo of ‘Years from Now’ and slow airs. Hundreds of people payed their respects to Malcolm over the weekend at his home and in Holy Trinity. The cortege was led from Holy Trinity by a guard of honour from Killeen National School, where Sarah is a teacher, and Malcolm’s body was laid to rest in Aughavale cemetery.
Malcolm is also survived by his mother, Mollie who lives in Ormskirk in Lancashire, his father, Jack, Southport, his brother Andrew, Yorkshire, and other family members in England. May he, who was always ‘bright shining as the sun’, rest in peace.
