The late Paddy Colgan: the passing of a soccer legend
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At the 1992 re-opening of D’Alton Park soccer pitch were (from left): Bridie McCabe, Frank McCabe, Paddy Colgan and Oliver Ward.Image 2 of 3
Frank McCabe, Anthony Buckley, Frank Farrell and Paddy Colgan in September 1970, with the Town Cup that was presented each year to the winners of the Town League.Image 3 of 3
PICTURED: Paddy Colgan, in his Arsenal gear, marking the stripes on D’Alton Park pitch in Mullingar in 1999.Local soccer club Mullingar Town FC and the wider community mourned the loss of Paddy Colgan, who died in May of this year.
Paddy was in his 85th year at the time of his death. He was an only child and from an early age his dad brought him down to the dog track to watch Mullingar Town playing their home games in soccer leagues, mostly against Dublin teams. Paddy enjoyed those games because his uncle Bob Carroll was captain of Mullingar Town, and that’s where Paddy got his interest and love for Mullingar Town, supporting the club for over 80 years.
Paddy saw Mullingar Town play in the dog track for over 30 years up until 1969, and then saw them play in D’Alton Park for over 50 years. He held most positions in the Mullingar Town. He was chairman for a number of years and vice-chairman at other times down the years, and was always on the committee of the club.
Paddy has always been a loyal servant of the club and was delighted to see Mullingar Town move into D’Alton Park in his own backyard, and when Town developed their pitch in 1992, Paddy did the job of groundsman and always looked after the pitch when he retired from his job with CIE.
Paddy began his working life when he worked in Gentex in Athlone and then CIE in Mullingar. He was an Arsenal and Sligo Rovers supporter, and was well liked by all in Sligo Rovers Football Club. When Paddy rolled the pitch in D’Alton Park, he always liked to put stripe markings on the pitch, and Sligo Rovers got Paddy to put a stripe marking on their pitch in the Showgrounds in Sligo before a European Cup game a few years ago.
Paddy went to all Sligo Rovers games with his good friend Seamus McGowan, and other games with Tommy Kelly and the late Paddy Murphy.
Paddy Colgan also had another interest in his life: he was a drummer in a band. He played with the Dinny Hughes Band, and they played all over the country for many years.
Mullingar Town, like other clubs in sport, always rely on good people to keep their club running from one week to the next, and year in, year out, and Paddy Colgan was one of them. Paddy will be missed by everyone in Mullingar Town Football Club and by the wider community in Mullingar.
At the time of his death Paddy Colgan was life president of Mullingar Town FC. The club sends its condolences to the Colgan family, his wife Joan, his son Paddy (Cousie), daughters Marcella and Caroline, daughter-in-law Rachel and grandchildren Jordan and Olivia.
– Martin Moore, Chairman, Mullingar Town FC