Farewell to Pádraig Glancy, a proud community man who ‘packed 80 years of living into 59’
The cortege on its journey to St Michael’s Church, pausing at Glancy’s in Cortober, Padraig’s homeplace. Pic: Gerry Faughnan
A family whose “whole world had been turned upside down” and a community touched by generations of Glancy generosity have said farewell to Pádraig Glancy, the Carrick-on-Shannon businessman remembered for his devotion to his loved ones and the place he called home.
At his Funeral Mass in St. Michael’s Church, Drumlion, this afternoon, mourners heard tributes to a “hard-working businessman”, a passionate Shannon Gaels supporter and a proud Rossie who “packed 80 years of living into 59”.
Mr Glancy, of Glancy’s SuperValu and An Post in Carrick-on-Shannon, and Clooneigh, Carrick-on-Shannon, County Roscommon, died suddenly on Wednesday last.
Fr Alan Conway spoke this afternoon of the particular pain of a sudden death: the suffering made harder by the absence of a chance to say goodbye. His family’s “whole world had been turned upside down”, he said.
Yet alongside that grief were memories of a life filled with work, family, football and a determination to help his community thrive.
A loyal family man, Pádraig took great pride in seeing his son, Éamonn, play for Shannon Gaels and his daughter, Catherine, work alongside him in SuperValu.
His love of Gaelic games extended from his local club to Roscommon, with the congregation hearing of the great trips he enjoyed to Hyde Park and Croke Park as a “proud Rossie”.
Fr Conway recalled his significant contribution to the parish and his support for worthy causes. He was a great supporter of Carrick Tidy Towns, whose victory in last year’s national competition brought him great joy.
There had also been a moment of pride for his business earlier in the week, when his post office won the award for ‘Best Overall Commercial Growth in Ireland’.
In a tribute, Shannon Gaels GAA/LGFA Club remembered a proud Cortober man whose vision was matched by a willingness to act.
“A man of great vision and generosity, he believed in progress and was always prepared to make things happen”.
That determination helped shape one of the most important developments in the club’s history. Around 20 years ago, the opportunity to develop a football pitch at Páirc na nGael on the Boyle Road offered the prospect of a Shannon Gaels home in the heart of Cortober.
For brothers Jim and Pádraig Glancy, two proud local men, it was an ambition worth getting behind. They wasted little time doing so.
From the construction of the road around the pitch to the development of the new clubhouse, both played an enormous part in turning that ambition into reality.
It was a commitment rooted in a family tradition stretching back generations. When the Patrician Hall was built in the 1960s, the Glancy family donated the land on which it stands.
On Saturday afternoon, that same hall became a place of farewell, as hundreds of people gathered to pay their last respects to Pádraig.
Predeceased by his parents, Kitty and Éamonn, he is deeply regretted by his wife, Rosaleen; his children, Éamonn and Catherine; his brothers, Anthony, Éamonn, Jim and Thomas; his sisters-in-law, Catherine and Fiona; his nieces, Muireann, Caoimhe and Eimear; his nephews, Lorcan, Daniel and Eoghan; his grandniece, Julia; his grandnephew, Joey; extended family, neighbours and a large circle of friends.
Following this afternoon’s Funeral Mass, he was laid to rest in Drumlion Cemetery.
For Shannon Gaels, the legacy of a man who gave so much to the club and his community will endure.
“Pádraig was a businessman, a family man, a club officer, a supporter and a great community man. Above all, he made a difference, and he leaves behind a lasting legacy that will continue to benefit generations to come,” the club said.
