The late Peter Patton was remembered as a ‘true gentleman’

The late Peter Patton was remembered as a “true gentleman” at his funeral Mass.

Peter passed away suddenly at his home in Trimragh on Monday, November 9, at the age of 57.

Held at the Church of the Irish Martyrs, Ballyraine, the requiem Mass was concelebrated by Parish Priest Fr Ciaran Harkin along with Fr Kevin Gillespie and Fr Paddy Dunne. Peter was then laid to rest at New Leck Cemetery, Letterkenny.

Born in 1969, Peter was the eldest of his eight siblings. Having spent his school days in Lurgybrack, he worked in a baking factory and earned the nickname ‘Porky’, by which he was fondly referred to.

Peter attended St Eunan’s College before working and then returning to finish his education. In 1979, he moved to Trimragh, where he spent the rest of his life with his beloved wife Anne-Marie and their children Shaun, Lauren, Emma and Stephanie.

Peter was a familiar face at Global Tiles and Bathrooms, having started work there in 1992. He was involved with St Eunan’s, Donegal GAA and Bonagee United, where he was club person of the year in 2024.

“Dad loved his work, the people he met and the friendships he made along the way,” his son Shaun said at the funeral. “But as much as his work meant to him, nothing ever came before his family. The family was the centre of Daddy's world.

“He was a loving husband, father, son and brother. He was especially close to Granny and Pop; living just down the yard meant he could call to them every day and that meant a great deal to him.

“Daddy was always the man who brought everybody together. Whether it was organising buses to Donegal matches or hosting famous Patton parties. He was happiest when he was surrounded by his family and friends.

“When Dad organised a gathering, the only excuse he needed was for the sun to come up or go down. Outside of family and work, Dad had plenty of passions. His beloved Bonagee, where he spent a lot of his time, meant a lot to him and he made a lot of great friends there.

“His faith was unwavering and he remained an important part of who he was. Dad was a man who worked hard, loved his family and valued his friendships. And above all, he loved life. He brought people together and he made the most of the time he had.

“Daddy will miss you more than words can say. But we'll carry you with us always. And as Dad would always say, enjoy today because you'll be dead forever.”

Items that were close to Peter’s heart were brought up as gifts by his family, representing the love in his life. Lauren brought up a family photo, Emma took a Global Tiles Jacket, Stephanie carried a deck of playing cards and Rebecca placed his Bonagee United Top on the altar.

“Many people from all over Donegal, indeed further afield, have reached out to you, his family, to offer their deepest sympathy,” Fr Harkin said at the Mass. “The countless people who attended Peter's wake are a testimony to the high regard so many people had for Peter.

“His dedication and commitment, for example, to his beloved Bonagee United for many years; he was at the heart of so many good and positive developments.

“That light of Peter, expressed, as his son Shaun has said, through his great love of family, through his kindness, his thoughtfulness, through his great sense of humour, through the deep respect that he had for all people.

“Indeed, his great love of life, and the many, many doors of friendship that opened up to him through his love of sport, through his enjoyment of playing cards, and through the many people that he met and helped with his job at Global Tiles.

“There have been so many tributes, all referring to him as a true gentleman, a man who brought a smile to faces, who lit up the room.”