Long-serving Mayo News employee Padraic Geraghty laid to rest

LONG-serving Mayo News employee Padraic Geraghty has been remembered as a loving family man who made friends easily and who respected everybody he knew.

A lifelong resident of Carnaclay, Westport, Padraic spent 55 years in the employment of The Mayo News, and the staff there were described as ‘his second family’ at his funeral Mass in St Mary’s Church, Westport, yesterday (Monday).

Born the first child of Paddy and Kathleen Geraghty in 1953, Padraic worked the land near Carnaclay from dawn until dusk from a young age.

His time with The Mayo News began at the age of 16, shortly after he completed his Inter Cert at Westport Vocational School.

He first worked as a printer and later as Production Manager during a period which coincided with various changes and transitions in the The Mayo News.

In August 1988, Padraic was a central figure when The Mayo News became one of the last newspapers to change from hot metal printing to a computerised system.

In more recent years, Padraic worked part-time with the company right up until he passed away last Thursday while out working on his land. He was 71 years old.

_{The late Padraic Geraghty}

Poignant tributes

PADRAIC’S love of family, his commitment to The Mayo News, his keen interest in farming and his passion for football were symbolised during the ceremony by a family photo, a copy of The Mayo News, a bowl of earth from his native Carnaclay and a football.

“All our lives we grew up knowing that The Mayo News had a special place in Dad’s heart and that the people he worked with there made up another family in his life,” his son Peter told his Funeral Mass.

“Each week, long hours were spent putting the paper together alongside dear colleagues and friends, who always made it known how much they appreciated Dad and valued his expertise.

“The Mayo News family was very good to Dad over the years and also helped him create a brand-new family of his own,” continued Peter, before recalling how his father met his wife, Joan, in 1995 after she joined the paper as a reporter.

Joan and Padraic had four children together, Nathan, Peter, Helen and Mary, all of whom paid loving tributes to their late father’s life and legacy.

“Dad, you never stopped going, or doing, or working, or helping us. You were always there for us forever and a day,” recalled Nathan.

“It is fair to say that Dad was old school, but pretty modern,” his daughter Helen recalled.

“He was cool enough to push buggies around Westport town as a man in his fifties. He made no secret of the fact that he wore his heart on his sleeve and loved Mam and his family dearly.”

“Whenever Dad talked about his work at The Mayo News, he always spoke about how stories might look and how stories might read,” she added. “Dad was deeply sensitive as to how people would feel reading news items and always considered things from both sides and made sure all angles were covered.”

Those gathered in St Mary’s Church and watching online heard that Padraic was ‘a good talker’, ‘a great listener’ and ‘young in spirit’ all through his life.

When not working on the land or in The Mayo News, Padraic ‘held court’ in Toby’s Bar on The Fairgreen, where he and his many friends spent long hours debating and discussing farming, football and other pressing matters.

A gifted storyteller, Padraic always kept his listeners enthralled as they waited for the killer punchline with one of his ‘daft roundabout stories’.

“But Dad was also an authority on the human condition and could quickly tune in to people’s emotions and steer conversations, so that no matter what you might be feeling bad about at the start, after talking to Dad, you would always feel better,” his daughter Helen said.

Padraic’s youngest daughter, Mary, echoed her sister’s words.

“There was never a need to panic. Dad just made everything better,” said Mary.

“Dear Dad; the farmer, the son, the brother, the husband, the father, the uncle, the dear friend and all-round nice guy and gentleman, we love you and we hope to carry a piece of you everywhere we told you we would go in the world. Thank you for everything.”

‘Unassuming manner’

FOOTBALL was close to Padraic’s heart. A lifelong follower of the Mayo team, Padraic played corner-back for Westport GAA and was a proud member of the club’s league-title winning team of 1975.

A guard of honour was afforded to him by members of the club at his removal to and from the church.

Fr Denis Carney described Padraic as a man that ‘always showed respect and appreciation of other people’ who was willing to help others in any way that he could.

“That line of the Gospel, ‘treat others as you would like them to treat you’, in many ways, was the roadmap that Padraic lived by,” said Fr Carney.

“Padraic made friends easily through his utmost unassuming manner and approach to life. He wouldn’t be the most excitable person, he wouldn’t get excited too easily, but yes, his approach was to take things as they came and deal with them as best you could.”

Paying tribute to his work with The Mayo News, Fr Carney described Padraic as ‘a loyal colleague, employee and friend to many; a genuine, committed worker’.

“Not one for the limelight, Padraic got on with his work. He played no small part in many awards that that noble paper has won over the years.”

Final resting place

FOLLOWING his removal, a large crowd gathered outside The Mayo News offices on The Fairgreen, forming a guard of honour as Padraic’s funeral procession paused for one final, poignant farewell to his employers of 55 years.

Padraic has been laid to his eternal rest in Aughavale Cemetery in his native Westport.

He was predeceased by his parents, Paddy and Kathleen, is survived by his wife, Joan (née Tobin) and their four children, Nathan, Peter, Helen and Mary. He was brother to Seán, Maureen (Gannon), Evelyn (Morris), Josephine (Brogan) and Gerry.

He is deeply regretted by his sisters-in-law, brothers-in-laws, the Tobin family (Castlebar), nephews, nieces, relatives, neighbours, wide circle of friends and all of Padraic’s Mayo News colleagues.

Ní bheidh a leithéad arís ann.

May his gentle soul rest in peace.