The late Pat Gleeson With the news of the unexpected death of Pat Gleeson, a great sadness fell over the community of Clonlara and beyond. The sense of grief was palpable throughout the parish when Pat lost his year long battle against lung cancer and all the more sad, as Pat was a very positive man who always saw the bright side. When he passed away on Wednesday morning, February 21st 2007, we knew we had lost a great and respected 'parish man'. As well as being a wonderful his band, father and good neighbour, Pat was well known for his enthusiastic involvement in and support for all things local. He played traditional Irish music on the accordion and loved a local seisiun. He was a sportsman with varying interests over the years, including car rallying and golf but, above all, Pat was a hurling man. He was on Clonlara teams between 1959 and 1974, winning championships at underage and junior A as well as the Old Ground Cup. He captained teams that included well known county stars, Colm Honan and the late Tom Crowe. When playing days finished, he had many roles in club activities including that of chairman for a number of years. He also, through his garage business, sponsored Clare County Board for underage hurling competitions. In more recent times, he worked hard in the development of of the new community sports and recreation centre and was a member of the Class committee, which received a 1.1 euro million grant for a new childcare facility. It was, indeed, ironic that in the week that Pat died , the construction of this project started. Pat had a great passion for the improvement of his native place and his efforts were always, in the words of Matt the Thrasher in Charles Kickham's Knocknagow, "for the honour of the little village". He will be greatly missed by Frances, John and Eileen but also by the parish and community he loved so well. He had left us an endearing legacy, an act that will be hard to follow. In the words of Clonlara's well known ballad by Martin Kennedy: "In Doonass Pat was born and it's there he now has died, In Saint Senan's old churchyard his mortal body lies 'Neath its crumbling walls of ivy and blades of green grass May he find eternal rest near the Falls of Doonass". Ar Dheis De go raibh a anam uasal dilis. I have lost a lifelong friend - Michael Begley Courtesy of the Clare Champion 25 May 2007 Tweet

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