When Pat retired from the choir just a few weeks after our 1999/2000 season began, he knew and accepted that he was coming to the end of the road. For us, his friends, who traveled to and from Waterford with him every Monday evening, it was a source of great sadness. He loved the choir so much, the camaraderie, the craic during practice and ultimately the performing of the beautiful works, that one could not but be carried along in his enthusiasm.
Pat was a remarkable man. While he was avidly interested in what was going on in the wider world, he took immense pleasure in what was going on around him, his family and friends, the work on the farm and his local community. During his years in politics he worked tirelessly on behalf of his constituents, always generous with his time and always ready to help where help was needed. In the last years of his life Pat became passionately interested in the environment and, had not illness prevented him from doing so, he would have given his time and energy to the fight against the destruction of our planet by chemicals.
While Pat will be remembered for all his wonderful qualities, the one that will stand out in my mind always will be his sense of humour. His joy in life was infectious and you could not be in his company and be gloomy. Throughout all the really bad patches in his illness over the years, he never lost that sense of humour. Indeed he remarked with a chuckle to his daughter-in-law, Beatrice, on his deathbed that he would be sorry not to be at his own funeral to hear the choir singing. His concern to the end was for his family, especially for Marie with whom he had a really special bond.
We could all learn from the manner in which Pat lived and died. It was a privilege to know him and be called his friend.
Monday nights won't ever be the same again!
Kathleen O'Driscoll