BANADATOURLESTRANE

TRIBUTE TO PÁDRAIG MAYE (RIP)

On the last day of January, 2021, Pádraig Maye, Aclare, passed on to his eternal reward. It was a great shock for his family and everyone who knew him.

Despite having celebrated his 80th birthday last May, Pádraig was a very active and fit person. He had been involved for many years in the Masters Athletics and just a few weeks before his 80th birthday and before all sport events were cancelled, Pádraig had taken part in the Masters Athletics indoors in Athlone.

On this occasion, he won the High Jump and then got second in the Shot Putt, throwing the weight and Long Jump.

Anyone reading these local notes over the past number of years would have read about his achievements in the Masters Athletics, as we followed his competitions closely and he kept us informed of all his results.

After spending 11 years teaching in the USA, where he met and married Terry.

Pádraig returned to Aclare and joined the teaching staff at Our Lady of Banada Secondary School in 1980 and then with St Attracta’s Community School till his retirement in 2004.

Over the years Pádraig was very involved in the community. He organised the Long Jump and Shot Putt competitions for the local Community Games. He was always recording events and taking pictures of many events at school and in the locality.

Pádraig was very involved in putting together the Millennium series of videos for the Kilmactigue Parish and was part of a group who compiled books on stories and historical facts in History and Memories, Vol 1 and two. He had this ability of getting people to open up and recall

stories. He had an interest in preserving history for future generations. As well as Pádraig being a husband, father, grandad and great-grandad, he was a friend to all who knew him and will be greatly missed.