Derreens, Achill
Monday, April 4, was a sad day for the people of Derreens and Achill, when they lost one of their most respected residents.
Patrick, or better known to all his friends as Paudie Molloy, passed away after a relatively short illness which he bore with great dignity and courage. Paudie was born on January 2, 1944 and was the youngest of four children to Tommy and Mary Molloy of Derreens, his sister Breege (Cleveland Ohio), brother Tommy (RIP Derreens) and sister Margaret who died at a young age.
In his early years Paudie attended Derreens National School and then graduated to the university of life on the building sites of England where he carved out a very successful career in construction and put many of his friends and neighbours to work. Paudie never forgot his roots and would visit Achill a few times each year to see his much loved parents and friends.
After spending many years in Manchester he moved to the Middle East and took on the roll of supervisor on many projects there. On one of his many trips home from UAE to Achill in 1981 is when he met his beloved wife Mary whom he married in June 1983, and they spent 33 very happy years of married life together.
They moved to Dublin for a short time, before both immigrated to the US and lived for a while with his sister Breege and husband Paddy O’Malley and family. Paudie was very proud of Patrick and Maura’s very successful careers, and stayed there for several years where they made lifelong friends among the huge Ballycroy and Achill communities in Cleveland Ohio.
When they returned home on their annual Christmas holiday in 1994 they stayed to care for Paudie’s mother Mary who broke her ankle. Later they spent a year in London and then returned home and Paudie took up the post of supervisor of the local FÁS scheme and completed some great projects around Mulranny and Achill, Cé Bheag, Ashleam School, Davitt Park, Ashleam Bay, Dooniver and Derreens Church to name but a few. He loved this time working in his native Achill among his own people.
He had great pride in his ‘Dan’ ancestry and was jokingly quick to remind the ‘Social Climbers’ (those who would marry in to the Dan Clan) of their luck and how they should be glad to be accepted into the clan. Paudie was an avid reader and had a great mathematical brain, could debate on any subject as well as having a great love and knowledge of boxing and was chairman of the Johnny Kilbane Centenary Committee who erected plaques in memory of the boxer in Derreens and in Achill Beg.
Paudie had the same kind, easy-going nature as his brohther-in-law Michael McLoughlin RIP. Edward McNamara remarked that two of the finest gentlemen he met in his 15 years as manager of Alice’s were ‘Bertie’ Michael McLoughlin and Paudie. This was one of the many qualities that attracted Mary to him.
Paudie was a great story-teller and told many a yarn in his local Patten’s Bar, but was always mindful not to offend others.
He was a joy to be in company with regardless of age and was always willing to give advice and help to the younger generation. He was the man to go to for advice and help to fill various forms whether it was Government assistance or planning permission for building projects. His philosophy in life was never do anybody a bad turn and he lived to that aspiration all his life. He had a great influence on many people from helping them to get started along the road of life to offering them some words of advice or encouragement when needed. He will be sadly missed.
Thank you Paudie you were without doubt a true gentleman.
Deep in our hearts, your memory is kept,
To love and cherish and never forget!
A smiling face, a heart of gold,
One of the best the world could hold!
Slán agus beannacht a seanchara, go gcasfar le chéile sinn arís.
