‘He was friendly and trusting, everyone liked him’

BEFORE sentencing yesterday, a victimimpact statement was read to the Central Criminal Court by the prosecution on behalf of Mary Fennessy, Paddy Lyons’s home help in Lismore.

Ms Fennessy said she knew Mr Lyons for more than 20 years and that ‘if anyone deserved a place in heaven, it’s Paddy’.

‘He was happy with simple things, had a great love for life and loved meeting people. He was a well-known, well-respected man of our community and he is greatly missed,’ she said.

Ms Fennessy explained that Mr Lyons was the oldest man in their village and was ‘very friendly and trusting’.

‘He didn’t drive a car but everyone in the village knew him and would give him a lift in and out of Lismore,’ she said.

‘Everyone liked him. He liked a simple life and loved sitting by the fire and listening to the radio. He loved having visitors and reminiscing about times long ago. He was a very religious man and never missed Mass no matter how bad the weather was.

‘I loved going down to visit Paddy every day. He was very grateful for any job you’d do for him. I’d bring him down dinner and bring in timber for the fire. He didn’t have running water or any luxuries that you’d have in a modern house but he was always happy and content with what he had.’

She added: ‘One of the days when I saw Paddy at his happiest was when the priest said Mass in Paddy’s home, what we call “stations”. He was king of the castle that day. Paddy said it was a great day altogether and talked about it for months afterwards.’