Patrick O’Reilly

Newport Road, Westport

Patrick (Paddy) O’Reilly died peacefully at his home on Newport Road, Westport, Co Mayo, surrounded by his family on July 18, 2018.

Passing away just 3 weeks from his 89th birthday, Paddy was born on August 12th, 1929 in the Demesne Westport, to Tommy and Mai O’Reilly, the oldest of five children. Having attended school in Carrowholly and the Christian Brothers on Castlebar Street, Westport, he then went onto work on the family farm in Carrowholly for 20 years. Paddy was very industrious and had a great love of farming and livestock. As a young man with his horse and cart he had a regular milk round in Westport where he enjoyed meeting people and making life-long friends. Paddy was handsome and popular and is remembered in that time as being a great dancer.

In 1964 Paddy met and married his beloved wife, Evelyn Dowling from Dublin, and the couple went on to have eight children, two daughters and six sons. Eventually the family grew to include 15 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. As Paddy and Evelyn’s young family grew they relocated and built their house on the Newport Road in Westport. As he was no longer farming Paddy started to make a living with his trusty tractor and trailer and became very well known around the environs of Westport and beyond, delivering and collecting anything that needed to be collected and delivered. He knew every lane and back yard in the town and hinterlands of Westport. An early riser, hard worker and reliable, Paddy was always where he said he would be and on time. Paddy loved hard work, he spent many happy days cutting bladder wrack on the shorelines of Carrowholly with his friend Paddy Fadian and fishing with his loyal friend Noel Leneghan on his little boat. He was a lucky man even though he never gambled in his life, he enjoyed good health, strength and a productive happy life. While never a big drinker, Paddy would finish his working day at the bar in The Clew Bay Hotel where over a couple of pints he would relax and socialise with his contemporaries before going home for dinner and early to bed, listening to the radio.

Paddy was a great family man and a wonderful husband, father and grandfather. His 80th birthday party was epic! All his family and friends attended with a barbecue, music and fun. It was one of his proudest and happiest days. Paddy retired from driving his tractor in 2013 at the age of 83. He continued to go for trips around Westport and the lanes and boreens with family members, him telling stories about memories raised. Paddy’s faith was important to him, attending Mass every week up until his last six months of life. Then Fr Charlie called to him to deliver the sacraments. As Paddy became infirm in his final two years he was cared for to the highest standard by his loving wife and family. He was a very gentle, easy going man who never complained about anything.

The O’Reilly family are very touched and grateful to everybody who came to the house and to St. Mary’s Church to sympatise with us on our great loss, all the cards, personal sympathies and kindness we received from neighbours, friends and the community. The realisation that Paddy was so well thought of and all the regaling of tales and funny or kind things that Paddy said or did was consoling. We cannot thank everybody enough for the outpouring of love and respect in Paddy’s memory. On Saturday the 21st of July 2018, Paddy O’Reilly held up the traffic in Westport for the very last time.

May his beautiful soul Rest In Peace.

Paddy...

for Paddy O’Reilly

A strong back

Is needed to

Deal with sea wrack

Strong shoulders

are needed to carry

a brood of eight

Much must be passed on

The right time to take

a sod from the bog