Paddy Nolan lived life to the full
ON Monday, February 24, the death occurred after a short illness, of well known Enniscorthy man Paddy Nolan.
Paddy had celebrated his 100 birthday on February 7, and it was a true family event.
Paddy was born in 1920, in Clologue, Ferns, and was the eldest of eight siblings - all of whom pre-deceased him.
Paddy attended Enniscorthy CBS, which was then located in the old Boys Club building on Island Road.
After successfully achieving his Leaving Certificate in 1939, he went to work in the hardware department of J Donohoe.
Paddy married his wife Betty (nee Leacy) in 1946.
Betty’s father, Aidan Leacy, was proprietor of a thriving grocery store and bar at 58 Weafer Street, in the premises now occupied by Via Veneto restaurant.
Sadly, while on honeymoon in Salthill, Betty’s father died suddenly. Paddy took over the business previously run by his father-in-law and traded under the new name of Leacy-Nolan.
Betty’s mother, Catherine, lived at No 9, Weafer Street, and it was at that address that Paddy and Betty also went to live.
They raised a family of six children.
In those days the majority of
Paddy’s leisure time was taken up with the GAA.
Passionate about Wexford, Paddy was a regular visitor to Croke park to follow the county’s hurlers and he gave generously of his time to the CBS by ferrying schoolboy teams to-and-from hurling and football matches.
The grocery and bar business was sold in 1974, after the last of the family left home and Paddy went to work in Astor TV Rentals.
He remained working fulltime there until he was 75 and continued working part-time in the business for a further 10 years.
Paddy was also a member of Enniscorthy Bridge Club and played regularly until the age of 95.
Very active in his community he was also involved with the local St Vincent de Paul organisation.
Paddy’s beloved wife Betty died in 2012 and thereafter he became a familiar figure as he walked to-and-from St Mary’s Cemetery to visit her grave on a daily basis after mass.
With the help of the residents of Weafer Street and his wonderful carer, Bridget O’Connor, Paddy was able to remain living at home for the next five years.
In 2017 at the age of 97, Paddy went to live in Belmont Nursing Home in Dublin which was close to four of his children and he was very contented in his new surroundings.
Paddy reached the magical age of 100 on February 7, 2020.
To mark the milestone occasion a family gathering was organised and attended by Paddy and five of his six children.
One son, Joe, who lives in Perth, Western Australia, was unable to attend.
Fourteen of his surviving 16 grandchildren and two of his great-grandchildren, as well as their wives, husbands, girlfriends and boyfriends, joined Paddy for his 100th birthday celebration.
He became ill on February 17, 2020, and died peacefully seven days later. He is survived by his six children, Aidan, Helen (McGahern), Kate (Coleman), Joe, Ger and Gay; 16 grand-children; 12 great-grandchildren.