Philip (72) left an indelible mark wherever he went
TRIBUTES CAME from far and near following the sad passing of Philip A. Doyle, B.Agr.Sc. at the age of 72 last month.
Philip, of Forth Mountain, and formerly of Adamstown, passed away on August 29. A well-travelled and learned man, he left an indelible impression on those he met, everywhere he went.
Born in 1946, Philip attended primary school in Raheen, before attending secondary school in the Good Counsel in New Ross. He went on to UCD, qualifying from there with a Bachelor Degree in Agricultural Science. He took up a teaching role in the technical college in Adamstown and subsequently served on the County Committee of Agriculture.
Following that, he worked in the ACC Bank until 1986 when he branched out into entrepreneurship, one of his first projects being the construction and fitting-out of the café, La Cuisine, for his wife Brigid.
Philip and Brigid met during their secondary school days. They married and had three sons: Paud, Philip and Frank.
As a young man, Philip was a noted hurler playing at centre half back, having a commanding presence when it came to fielding an aerial ball. He was part of the famous Adamstown team that went unbeaten for 17 games, progressing from junior championship all the way to a senior semi final.
He was also an avid golfer and, over the years, held the roles of captain and president in Rosslare Golf Club. He was instrumental in the construction of the 12-hole course in Rosslare, taking a year off all other work to oversee the project.
A woodwork hobbyist, he needed no tuition, just intuition, and his sons Paud and Philip Jnr carried on that love for the craft in cabinet making and hurl-making respectively. Philip Snr made hurls only for a select few but played a huge part in sourcing ash for the industry, a practice which saw his travels extend from the Carpathian Mountains in Romania to the Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia. He built and installed milling equipment in countries where suitable supplies of ash were to be found, and was an annual guest at the Milwaukee Irish Festival where he showcased the skills in the art of hurley making.
He was described by family and friends as a gentleman and a friend, a non-conformist and a genius, a one-of-a-kind and a character. He always had the right story at the right time, or the right joke, or yarn, or the right advice. His popularity was borne out in the huge crowds who attended his wake and funeral mass.
Philip is survived by his wife Brigid; his sons Paud, Philip Jnr and Frank; his brothers Frank, Jim, Paddy and Ger; his sister Nell; daughters-in-law; grandchildren, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.
His Month’s Mind takes place on Wednesday, October 3 at 7 p.m. in Murrintown church.