Tullamore mourns a pillar of the community and popular business man Denis Donoghue

There was deep sadness in Tullamore at the passing of a highly respected pillar of the community on Wednesday, October 4, 2023.

A popular milkman and a very active person in the community in Tullamore for over 50 years, Denis Donoghue was in his 79th year when he passed away after a brave battle with cancer.

Originally from old Knockmay, Portlaoise, Denis started his working life as a bar man in Egan's in Portlaoise and by 18 he was a skilled and trained bar man.

He moved to Dublin getting a job in the Royal Marine Hotel in Dun Laoighaire.

It was while he was based in Dun Laoighaire that he met his future wife Sheila McHugh originally from Carrigspringan, Moynalty, Co. Meath.

After a time living in London, Denis moved back to Ireland and they married in 1969 and subsequently moved to Tullamore where Denis got a job in the Murals Pub in Tullamore which was owned by DE Williams.

He started work as a fruit and veg delivery man in the early 1970s and was proud of the fact that he was the first Fyffes banana man in Offaly.

In 1975 he started a new career that would continue successfully for well over 32 years making him an instantly recognisable figure in Tullamore.

Originally working for Drogheda and Dundalk Dairies, which later changed to Avonmore, Denis had countless loyal customers over the years and made many liflong friends in homes and shops around the town.

Starting at 4am every day, the business continued to grow and employed many young people in Tullamore throughout the years with his greatest support coming from his wife and his three daughters. Denis was devoted to his wife Sheila who played a huge role in their milk business, handling all the money and doing the accounts and banking while raising their family. In sickness and in health Denis devoted himself to minding Sheila throughout her many illnesses over the years.

As well as being a successful and well respected business man, Denis was also a man of great faith and a lot of his life was spent in the Church of the Assumption in Tullamore. He was on the Tullamore Parish Council and he was a steward at 11:30am Mass. He also made the Pacal Fires each Easter and when the church burned down in 1983, he ran hundreds of raffles in pubs and shops to help with the rebuilding.

Denis was an integral member of the Knights of St Columbanus for well over 25 years, an organisation that aims to promote Christianity, Fraternity, Charity, Faith and Social Justice. Denis rose up the ranks in the Knights and had a two year term as Grand Knight in Tullamore and also served at provincial level for North Leinster and served one term as provincial Grand Knight. He was awarded a 20-year medal in 2019.

Denis was also instrumental in many committees over the years including the Chernobyl Children's project, Tullamore Gymnastics Club, St Phileomena’s NS and Ballydaly Residents Association of which the sitting room in Ballydaly acted as a community hall. Denis travelled widely and he also went to Belarus twice with a dental team from Tullamore to help out the children in the orphanages in the 90’s.

Above all Denis and Sheila's hospitality is legendary. In Ballydaly the key was always in the door and there was a warm welcome for every friend, waif and stray that entered. Sheila's apple tarts and Denis's Irish Coffees and his love of 'Katie' made many a good night even better.

Denis definitely had a wonderful gift in his wicked sense of humour and it extended to many practical jokes including a famous one in the 80s around the time of the moving statues. Denis had saved statues from St. Phileomenas and the old Kilbeggan Church and he hid behind an armless statue at 4am. When the late Mick Gannon turned on the lights in the truck one morning, an apparition took place as the hands of the statue moved from resting to prayer position giving his friend a tremendous fright.

Denis was a proud man but most of all he was proud of his family and loved Sheila his girls, his sons in law and had such a strong bond with his seven grandchildren.

Denis will be sadly missed by his loving wife Sheila and daughters Marguerite (Cahill, The Island), Denise (Keoghan, Rahan Road) and Aoife (Shihab, Horsham, UK), sons in law Jonathan, Michael and Oliver, his adored grandchildren Micheál, Stephen, Emily, Donncha, Alister, Oisín and Bradán, brother Dan (Athy), (deceased brothers John and Michael, Portlaoise), sisters Patty (Clondalkin) and Claire (Arklow), brother in law, sisters in law, nieces, nephews and a wide circle of relatives, neighbours and friends.