SAD LOSS OF TWO MEN WHO GAVE SO MUCH TO THEIR COMMUNITIES
Tributes paid to Gay Howard and Mal Reilly
TRIBUTES have poured in this week for Brookville native Mal Reilly and Stamullen cycling legend Gay Howard – two men who dedicated their lives to their communities.
A native of Brookville and acting postmaster in Dunleer for some years, Mal Reilly’s death shocked the whole area that had grown to love and admire his amazing attitude to life. Living with cystic fibrosis all his 38 years, Mal never allowed it to dominate his life.
Gay Howard was one of cycling’s most respected figures and he was part and parcel of the Rás Tailteann each year. His death last Friday sent shockwaves through the sport, with many top names paying tribute to him.
FUNDRAISER, fun man, singer, entertainer, athlete, popular, golfer, determined, kind, husband, dad, brother, son....heart of gold. Many words could be used to describe Mal Reilly. Probably none can.
When word broke last week that Mal had passed away, you could sense the collective sigh. It seemed to echo out from Dunleer’s noble streets, across fields and roads and to the heart of Drogheda and beyond.
Gone was a man who lived life as everyone should - for the moment.
Living with Cystic Fibrosis all his life, Mal (38) never surrendered to it. It did hold him like handcuffs at times, but when he soared, he soared.
Four years ago, he ran the Dublin City marathon. Simply awesome.
He was inspired by the Team Carrie attitude, a group set up by David Carrie eight years ago to allow people the chance to fulfil a dream - running a marathon.
He went on to even write a song about them.
Their loss is immense as they stated last week - ‘We are shocked and completely saddened by the untimely passing of our great friend and team mate Mal Reilly. He was a massive inspiration to anyone who knew him and ran with him. We will all miss you so very much Mal.’
A Brookville man, Mosstown, Dunleer was the adopted home in many ways, married to his beloved Martha and dad to Charlie and Tara.
He was acting Postmaster for many years and in that time the people of Dunleer and surrounds grew to love him.
His party piece was a song for his customers, Christmas carols sounding out from behind the counter as the season approached.
When Mal Reilly took on a task it was full on. So, when with Martha he hosted the first ‘65 Roses Ball’ in the Grove in 2012, one expected a success and €14,000 later, it was deemed exactly that. That night Mal took to the stage and sang his heart out. The ‘65 Roses Ball’ continued after that and more funds were raised.
The aim was to raise funds to open the new Out-Patient Cystic Fibrosis Unit in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital and helped achieve that.
He attended Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital up to the age of 26 when he moved to Beaumont to the specialised Out-Patient Unit. He knew how important such a facility locally was for those who now come after him.
The tributes that have poured in and the manner in which Dunleer said farewell to Mal last Friday shows the impact his short life left with so many.
‘Our hearts are heavy today upon hearing of the death of our friend, Mal Reilly. To his wife Martha, and children Tara and Charlie; to the Reilly family and the McArdle family we would like to express our sincere condolences.
‘Mal was a vital part of the community and was a central hub in the post office in Dunleer; he had many talents, creatively and professionally which we were fortunate enough to enjoy. Mal was generous to a fault and gave an immense amount of time and energy to various charities and causes, but a cause close to his own heart was Cystic Fibrosis with the ‘65 roses ball in Dunleer which between himself and Martha was a success beyond compare.
“It takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, and a day to love them, but it takes an entire lifetime to forget them,’ St Kevin’s GAA club said.
Mal is survived by wife Martha (née McArdle) and children, Charlie and Tara, parents Mal and Rosaleen (Reilly), sister Hilary (Kelly) and her husband Stephen, mother-in-law Margaret (McArdle), brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends.
His funeral was last Friday to Saint Brigid’s Church, Dunleer with burial afterwards in Mosstown Cemetery.
‘He was a massive inspiration to anyone who knew him and ran with him. We will all miss you so very much’