Paul loved life and lived it to the full

IN the recent death of Paul Judge, the Newfoundwell area has lost one of its greatest characters.

He was a man who loved life and lived it to the full. Paul was one of nine brothers who started life in Number 2, Greenhills.

They had all one thing in common, their passion for Gaelic Football and their undying loyalty to the Newtown Blues Club.

He was an outstanding footballer, a good singer and a loveable rogue.

He married the lovely Frances Clarke, a quiet and caring lady, and settled in Brookville.

When Paul was wheelchair bound and the going got tough, she never complained.

They were blessed with four children - Emer, Pauline, Una and Fiachra.

The later two now reside in Australia. They all inherited their Dad’s good humour and wit.

Paul is remembered as a gifted palyer who represented Louth at Minor and Senior level. He had skill to burn and few, if any, could sell a dummy like he could.

In his time, he made many noted defenders look silly as they followed shadows and grasped for air.

He was educated in St Patrick’s and played his first competitive football with the school team when the great Fr Kevin Connolly was calling the shots.

He won a minor championship medal in 1958 before graduating to the Senior side during the Blues most successful era.

He added five more Senior medals to his collection and earned every one of them. His winning goal against Cooley in the 1974 final was the best ever scored in a decider.

Paul believed every victory, no matter how small, should be celebrated. So a pub would be taken over, the TV switched off and you could bet your house on it that Paul would be first called to sing.

He had a rich repertoire of songs, but his favourite one was without a doubt ‘Di- O Di-A’.

His daughter, Emer, chose this to be the song sang at his funeral Mass. It was a great choice for it brought back memories of times past, times that will never come again.

The following is the last four lines of that lovely song:

‘And when at last my journey here is o’er. will ring more joyfully than ere before. When up to heaven I will make my way, the angel too will sing Di- O Di-A’.

Paul has left us, but will never be forgotten.