The late Paddy Flanagan: ní bheidh a leithéid arís ann...

Gerry Buckley pays tribute to the late stalwart of Gaelic football in Westmeath, Paddy Flanagan

My first time to chat to the late, great Paddy Flanagan was in early 1964. My last time was just a few short weeks ago.

I may have been only seven years old during our first chat and in bed with a ‘boy-flu’, but my late parents got him to call round to our house on the Longford Road with a copy of the ‘Our Games’ annual for their “Westmeath-mad son”. A rare colour production at the time, it featured photographs of the previous year’s history-making Lake County minor football team which had reached the All-Ireland final.

They were my boyhood heroes and have remained so since. Witness a ‘quick cup of coffee’ planned with team member Kevin Kelly in his home in Rathfarnham earlier this year which turned into almost seven hours going down memory lane! I retain that book to this day with my childish writing on the inside cover. Of course, it was typical of the Paddy whom I grew to know and hugely respect that he dropped tools to do somebody a favour.

I had no inkling whatever when I called to the fantastic office/Westmeath shrine attached to his home in Millmount in early April that it would be our last chat. Yes, he was slow on the feet, but his brain was as sharp as ever. Indeed, as I had done for many years, I dropped a couple of Westmeath away handouts/programmes through his letter box the morning he died, oblivious to the severity of what I had been told was a relatively minor health issue. I was utterly shocked, and extremely saddened, when I got a phone call about his passing a matter of hours later.

Anything which I have managed to put together about Westmeath GAA in newspapers or book form since the turn of the millennium is totally down to the invaluable help of Paddy, specifically dating back to a chat in his aforementioned office in September 1999 when I was embarking on my ‘Millennium Handbook of Westmeath Gaelic Games’ project. With trademark bluntness, he opined that I was mad to try what I was doing. I responded that my madness had never been a subject of debate!

He also warned me that he “could be a thick man”, and I replied, “that makes two of us”! We laughed heartily and, well, all I can say is that in 22 and a half years of very regular dealings in his office and over the phone, that there was never as much as a semi-cross word exchanged between us. The courtesy and hospitality I experienced in Ard Mhuire was top class in every respect. While he was a stickler for good grammar (join the club!), he allowed himself a deliberate error by always opening our chats with his Coronation Street-driven line, “I’ll put kettle on.” I found him to be an absolute gentleman, both to me and anybody to whom I have ever introduced him.

A dozen years on from my first project, I compiled ‘Lakeside Legends’. The very first thing I did for that was to organise a cover photo of the 2004 Delaney Cup presentation which features a beaming Paddy beside the podium in the Hogan Stand as David O’Shaughnessy receives the ‘canister’ (Páidí’s word for it!) from Nickey Brennan (a tribute from the former GAA president follows). My logic was there could not be a Westmeath GAA book written using the word ‘legend’ without Paddy on the cover.

I said at the launch of that book, which Paddy kindly attended, that “Paddy has forgotten more about Westmeath GAA than I will ever know.” And I was right.

Codladh sámh, Pádraig Uasal.

A tribute from a former GAA president

When Paddy Flanagan was called to his eternal reward recently the GAA lost one its most respected former players and administrators. Paddy truly lived a life that was fulfilled in every sense.

It was perhaps inevitable that Paddy would have a grá for the GAA and Gaelic football in particular as his coach in St Mary’s College was Brother Hogan, a brother of Michael Hogan who lost his life on Bloody Sunday.

Paddy’s ability as a Gaelic footballer was recognised in his native county initially with the minor team and subsequently with the senior team. He was not fortunate enough to win a Celtic Cross, but his ability was recognised by his selection on the Westmeath team of the millennium.

Paddy also enjoyed a long and successful playing career with St Loman’s and how fitting it was that the county championship cup which bears his name should have been present at his funeral.

My own involvement with Paddy was on the administration side at Comhairle Laighean. I was well aware that Paddy already had successfully undertaken administrative roles with St Loman’s and Westmeath County Board, so he was bringing significant experience to the Leinster Council.

The area I will mainly associate with Paddy was his many programme productions and his pride and enthusiasm in preparing Comhairle Laighean events, particularly the Annual Convention. I suspect that his work with many former media men including Micheál Ó Hehir was the reason he derived so much enjoyment from this type of work.

Beidh Cumann Lúthchleas Gael buíoch do deo do Phádraig Ó Flanagáin mar gheall ar a chuid oibre ar son gach gné an Chumainn. Bhí Pádraig gnóthach ar son a chlub, a Chontae agus ar leibhéal Náisiúnta. Bhí sé dilís agus díograsach agus táimid go léir buíoch as a rinne Pádraig i rith a shaoil.

Paddy was a man of great integrity and courtesy whose help and companionship I really appreciated. Above all, Paddy was a family man and they can be very proud of his contribution to so many aspects of Cumann Lúthchleas Gael.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

Nioclás Ó Braonáin,

Iar-Uachtarán,

Cumann Lúthchleas Gael.