Late Pat’s book continues to raise funds for hospital

ONGOING sales from a popular Duhallow publication, ‘ A View from Mount Hillary’, originally published in 2003, has further boosted the Mercy Hospital Intensive Care Unit to the tune of €1,125.

Community and sporting activist, the late Pat Murphy compiled the book following the completion of five years of research centring on the sporting history of Banteer and Lyre, in addition to chronicling the history of the greater Duhallow region.

Few people gave greater service to voluntary organisations and betterment of society than Pat. Always articulate and diligent, Pat worked for the best interests of those he represented whether in employment or the various community groups he served.

Indeed, Banteer, Lyre and the greater Duhallow area was left saddened by the untimely passing of Pat in 2016. Not forgotton, Pat’s wife, Eileen, in conjunction with Banteer Lyre GAA Clubs and the Murphy family hosted a sponsored family fun walk in support of the Mercy Hospital ICU that generated over €18,700.

Further sales of the book over last Christmas raised a further €1,125 for the worthy cause, which was much appreciated.

“Thank you to Eileen Murphy, all Pat’s friends and family and the Banteer and Lyre GAA Clubs who supported the sale of his book. This brings the total to nearly €20,000 raised in Pat’s memory for the Mercy Hospital ICU”, said a hospital spokesperson.

Qualifying in 1982 as a psychiatric nurse, Pat spent 30 years working in Our Lady’s Hospital and Carrig Mor and later transferred to the Inis Carraig Centre, Western Road. A trade unionist for 35 years and at the time of his passing, he was serving on the National Nursing and Midwife Sector Committee and Health Division Executive Committee.

Pat resided for 30 years in Ballymacmurragh, Kanturk in the parish of Castlemagner with his wife Eileen but his GAA loyalty was always with Banteer/Lyre. A major loss to the club and indeed the wider GAA family, Pat was actively involved in the GAA scene from club to division to County Board level.

His greatest GAA and community legacy, however, was the publication of his book, ‘A View from Mount Hillary’, containing the history of the club and the wider Duhallow area from 1886 to 2003, a unique record of all sporting activities and other significant social events that occurred over the century with initial proceeds supporting Kanturk Community Hospital.

A limited number of books remain available to purchase, interested parties can order through the Banteer and Lyre GAA Clubs with a price of €20 per copy.