Warm tribute paid on the passing of well-known Offaly man

A warm tribute has been paid to the late Tony Colsh from Tullamore who passed away earlier this week.

The tribute was paid on Facebook by New York based Fergal Gallagher who worked with Tony in the Manor bar on Tullamore's Church St. The bar was owned by Fergal's parents, Joe and Josie Gallagher.

In his post Fergal writes: “Shocking news to hear of the passing of Tony, better known as ToTo. He wasn’t just a character, but also a legend. Tony wasn’t just a friend, tenant, and helper, he was like part of the family at the Manor. He had his own keys to the front door, back door, side door, trap door, etc.

“Whenever I was finished working and before I even got to go home sometimes, Tony would be coming in and I would say “Where are you going?” And he would say “I can’t sleep.” 9/10 times he’d be telling the truth, but every now and again he would be mad for a pint himself. He would begin to start to clean up the place, pack the bottles and bring up the kegs to prep for the next day.

“ToTo was the sort of character you could tell him there was someone in the snug asleep and he would go up to his own apartment upstairs, come back down with a blanket and pillow and pull the curtains in the snug to keep them comfortable.

“The funniest thing about ToTo was when he was filling a drink but didn’t know how to use the till, so most drinks averaged around €4.50 but he used to charge everyone a fiver so he didn’t have to make change. If they only had a tenner, they got two drinks and the money was always left lining the counter waiting for daddy or Olive [Fergal's sister] to come in. He was always able to keep track because he had his own shorthand “2 pints of G” for Guinness or “2 of B” for Bud. He brought his own style and method to what he did.

!”If you ever needed anything from Tony, let it be from holy water to moonshine, or from a pigeon to venison, Tony was your man: “Give me a day or two, I’ll have it.” You could tell Tony anything and he would keep it to himself. The kind of person you can trust. We had a lot of great nights at the Manor - mock weddings, hen parties, and even ToTo’s real wedding, which was one of the best nights in the Manor. Not just myself and my family, but also Tullamore has lost a good character. I’d like to send my condolences to AnnMarie and also to the rest of ToTo’s family and friends.

RIP Tony.”

Tony's Funeral Mass will be celebrated in the Church of the Assumption in Tullamore this Saturday, February 26 at 11.15am.