Pablo Roberto was a man “close to nature” and had “a unique ability in the art of friendship”
The late Pablo Roberto.
Popular businessman Paolo Roberto, who died unexpectedly on Sunday morning, was described as a man “close to nature” and who had “a unique ability in the art of friendship”.
Mr Roberto, Castlecoote, and formerly Oakville, Ontario, Canada and Bitetto, Bari, Italy, was the creator and owner of a successful local fishing business, ‘Gone Fishing Ireland’, and was 52 years old.
He passed away peacefully, on Sunday, September 21st, at Galway University Hospital, with his loving family and best friend by his side.
At his funeral Mass today, Friday, at the Church of the Assumption in Castlecoote, chief celebrant Fr Ali Joe said Pablo loved his fishing so much.
“That was his ministry. He loved his fishing and he loved his family,” he said.
Mourners were told that he also loved adventure and travelling.
“Pablo travelled to Canada, to Italy and everywhere he went, he made friends. He had a unique ability in the art of friendship. Pablo indeed was a special man,” he said.
Fr Joe said that Pablo’s story was deeply connected to the community in Castlecoote.
He pointed out that he and his wife Orla were married in Castlecoote Church 19 and half years ago and had met each other 28 years ago. Their daughter Donata Maria was also baptised in the church and also made her communion there. “Donata was the apple of his eye,” he said.
In a tribute, Ciaran, a friend and neighbour of Pablo and his wife Orla Leydon for more than twenty years, said all the heartfelt messages and memories left by people on rip.ie painted a picture of "his kindness, his humour, his generosity” and of the many lives that he had touched.
He said Pablo’s philosophy was never to take anything for granted. "He was full of joie de vivre, ebullient, generous, kind with his thoughts and his deeds. Always available to help, always there for everybody, no matter what time, day or night,” he said.
Mourners were told that Pablo was always delighted to go to Italy to visit his family and honed his great culinary skills from his mother.
Ciaran said he and the other neighbours were always amazed at Pablo's ability to turn his hand to anything, including boat building.
“Fix a lawnmower, fix a car, fix a jet ski, everything was a joyous challenge.”
Ciaran said Pablo grew his great fishing business, helped by his natural creativity and his ability to connect with people.
“He looked at his customers as friends and they returned every year all over the world, all enamoured by Pablo’s warm and kind personality. If anyone was born to fish, it was Pablo.
"If every road had a Pablo living on it, the world would be a much kinder place,” he said.
Mr Roberto will be forever missed by his heartbroken wife Orla, his adored daughter Donata Maria, his mother Donata, brother Tony, sister Sara, his cherished nieces Stefania and Nicole, treasured godsons Kyle and Daniel, mother and father-in-law Mary and Terry, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, extended family, neighbours and many good friends. He is predeceased by his father Giuseppe.
A private cremation followed the funeral Mass.
