A trip home to enjoy a Sunday outing with his wife and young family ended in tragedy for a 27-year-old Rathoe father. Pat Bermingham Jnr., Ballynunnery, Rathoe, died after his motorcycle went out of control and crashed into a road sign near Banbridge, County Down. Pat was travelling alone, on his way back from the annual Northwest Motor Cycle Races in Portrush and Portstewart. The popular young man had spent the weekend in Northern Ireland with a group of about 20 motorcycle enthusiasts from the locality. On Sunday morning however he was anxious to get home early to spend the day with his wife Jacqueline (nee Guidera) and their three daughters Denise (4), Laura (2) and Tara (six months) and to play a local derby with his club Fighting Cocks later that evening. Pat had set off alone early on Sunday morning when the tragic event occurred. The devastating news of Pat's death reached his young family in Rathoe later that morning. "Pat was a good family man, a good husband, father and son," admitted his devastated wife, Jacqueline. "He rang me about 10 o'clock on Saturday night and told me that he'd be back early on Sunday morning and we'd have a family day out. "Later that evening he was to play a match with the Fighting Cocks against Ballon and we were all going to that," she added. The devoted couple were childhood sweethearts having met when they were just 16 years old. Jacqueline sadly recalls the hard worker Pat was and how much time he spent working on their new house in Ballynunnery, built beside the home of his parents, Pat Snr and Marian. Pat Jnr, who worked as a welder with Thermo Air Carlow, was also a talented GAA player with his club The Fighting Cocks. A solid fullback, Pat was instrumental within the club and had been awarded a host of accolades for his marvellous contributions. In 1999 Pat was instrumental as full back in the winning of both the Junior Championship and Division 3 league. In 1995 he was the club's player of the year as captain while in 1992 he won young player of the year. Pat had shown his prowess on the football field from an early age winning the under-14 county championship with BallonRathoe and, in 1992, he played a major role in the winning of the all-Ireland Vocational Schools Senior Football Championship with Tullow Community School. Pat had also played minor and under-21 football with the county team and enjoyed squash and swimming. Pat's other great love was his motorcycle and his dad Pat Snr recalls that the moment he turned 16 he got his licence. "He was a larger than life character, it's just difficult to come to terms with what's happened," he said. Pat is survived by his heartbroken wife Jacqueline and daughters Denise, Laura and Tara, hi parents Pat and Maria brother Joseph, sisters Mary, Margaret and Frances as well as a wide circle of family and friends. As a mark of respect Carlow County Council observed a minute's silence at their Monday meeting. Courtesy of Suzanne Pender Carlow Nationalists May 2002 Tweet

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