Sports hero Pat was a people person and a devoted father
DEVOTED family man and sporting legend Pat Cleary was given a magnificent send off in New Ross, following his death at the young age of 59.
Pat grew up in Ballyanne alongside his sisters Marie and Ann and brothers Eamonn, Simon and Frank. He attended CBS primary school and St Peter’s College as a border.
Born into a famous handball house at Ballyanne close to the handball court, Pat developed his talent to become one of Co Wexford’s best ever handballers.
The Southknock man was an all-rounder, excelling at every sport he put his hand to, including hurling, football, rugby, tennis, soccer and, of course, handball. He also excelled on the hurling and football fields with the Rathgarogue- Cushinstown club.
Pat forged a winning partnership with club-mate John Fleming, winning All-Ireland doubles competitions from U16 level up. A trio of Senior doubles titles in ‘82, ‘83 and ‘84 established them as one of the all-time great four-wall partnerships. The pairing also won the special competition run to commemorate the centenary of the GAA in 1984.
During those five unbeaten years, Pat commanded the right-hand side of the court with absolute authority, mixing power and craft with a great ability to play the right shot at the right time.
Pat worked in Doyle’s grain merchants in Rosbercon in his youth, before moving on to the Horse & Jockey in Co Tipperary. He returned to New
Ross were he met Mary Desmond from Cork who was working in AIB at his beloved New Ross Rugby Club. They struck up a courtship and were married.
Throughout, sport was the constant in his life. He competed with Fleming in Australia and when that golden partnership ended, Pat went on to win several doubles titles with different partners, including Benny Doyle, Johnny Goggins, Seamus McLoughlin and Seamus O’Connor.
He also played on a number of successful Wexford teams throughout his career and finished his playing days with between 25 and 30 national titles to his credit. These included softball, four-wall and hardball, and bore testament to his versatility across the codes. He was formidable singles player too, winning All-Ireland singles titles at Over-40 and Over-45. His greatest years in over-age occurred in 2000 and 2001, when he proved well-nigh unbeatable in both singles and doubles competitions.
Pat worked with Alan Clarke at VetMed, taking over the business in 2005, and eventually opening his own pet shop Cleary’s Animal World near Lidl.
He passed on his enthusiasm for racquetball, organising tournaments for children in New Ross. He was also involved in mentoring children at New Ross Rugby Club, which was a home away from home for him.
He lived, breathed and sang sport, and was always watching matches when he wasn’t looking after his customers or helping out at sporting clubs. He was rugby legend Tadhg Furlong’s biggest fan and even claimed credit for the tight-head prop coming into the world (Tadhg’s parents Margaret and James having met through Pat and Mary).
Mary and Pat enjoyed many wonderful years together and loved their holidays in Turkey twice a year.
In New Ross everyone knew Pat. As Mary said: ‘Pat just loved people. He loved talking to them. It didn’t matter if you were two or 92. He had to be the last one home from the rugby club,’ his competitive spirit shining through even within social circles.
Never one to speak of his sporting success, he instead preferred to listen to others, delighting in making new acquaintances and friends, and in getting the latest news.
Despite some health setbacks, (including a hip replacement operation in 2018), Pat continued playing handball.
Above all Pat was an adoring, doting dad; totally besotted with his children and so very proud of all their achievements.
He got sick in January 2019 and waged a tremendous battle with cancer.
Pat loved nature and among his favourite pass times was driving to Hook Head and the necklace of beaches around the coast, to got for walks. The wild beauty of the peninsula brought him comfort in his final year when he would travel there.
During the current health crisis he loved the opportunity it gave him to spend time with his family, playing cards with them and sharing precious moments.
He passed away peacefully at Whitfield Hospital.
Although Pat died young, he packed so much into those 59 years and throughout was a gentleman with a heart of gold.
As his wife Mary said: ‘He just loved life and people. He had a great sense of humour and loved his pints. He really was one of those people who would be disappointed if a day went by when he didn’t meet someone he knew. He could go anywhere in the world and he’d meet someone he knew. He had that glint in his eye.’
At his funeral Mass, David Burke performed a beautiful eulogy and Pat’s good friend Fr Odhrán Furlong celebrated a moving Mass at the parish church.
The town of New Ross came out to clap as his remains were brought from New Ross to Rathgarogue Cemetery.
When the hearse stopped at Southknock, neighbours came out and there was a magnificent guard of honour at his beloved New Ross RFC.
People lined the roads along the way from New Ross to Rathgarogue with guards of honour performed by Rathgarogue Cushinstown GAA Club members and Ballyanne Handball and Racquetball Club.
Pat was laid to rest as his friends David Burke and Brendan Roche sang a party favourite the trio used to sing: Only Our Rivers Run Free.
Pat is survived by Mary; Sarah, Des and Laura; his mother Kitty; sisters and brothers Marie, Eamonn, Anne, Simon and Frank, and is sadly missed by his parents-in-law Declan and Sheila Desmond, brothers-in-law, sisters-inlaw, nieces, nephews, extended family and a large circle of friends.
He was predeceased by his father Simon.
May he Rest in Peace.
HE JUST LOVED LIFE AND PEOPLE... HE’D BE DISAPPOINTED IF A DAY WENT BY WHEN HE DIDN’T MEET SOMEONE HE KNEW