Community mourns passing of man who 'loved God, family and GAA' Pa Hall of The Valley, Athenry, passed away following a long battle with illness. He was born in February 1930 in Abbey Row, Athenry, in the house currently owned by Kevin and Mary Clarke. The Hall family moved to The Valley later that same year. In April 1946, he started work with the outdoor staff of Galway County Council and the following year, he joined Athenry Fire Brigade. He took over the day-to-day running of the Water and Sewage Works in 1954. He played Hurling and handball in his youth and his lifelong passion was St. Mary's GAA Club, all its players and members and all the men who represented Galway in all grades and disciplines of the GAA. It can be said that after God and his loving family, the GAA came in a close third in his list of loves. He was greatly honoured to have been chosen as a Vice-President of St. Mary's GAA Club, Athenry. From early childhood and throughout his life, he loved fishing and it has been said by many of his fishing friends that he knew every stone in Clarin, Craughwell and Clare rivers. Pa had been in very poor health for a very long time. On his better days he would take a long walk around his beloved Athenry, out to Lady's Well, around The Pound, up to the New Cemetery, always calling on his old friend Eamonn Madden in The Forge, where he would also meet other friends. There were three Guards of Honour on both days of Pa's funeral. These were formed by members of Athenry Fire Brigade (joined by members of other Fire Brigades around the county), Galway County Council staff and members of St. Mary's GAA Club, Athenry. Canon Tony King, PP, Athenry officiated at the removal from Quinns' Funeral Home to The Church of the Assumption, Athenry. Mass was concelebrated by Monsignor Joe Pollard and Rev Fr Ciaran Blake, CC, Athenry. Burial took place in the New Cemetery, Athenry. Pa Hall is survived by his wife Nora (nee Moran), children Gerry, Mary, Michael and Eleanor; brothers Eddie and Jimmy (Manchester); sisters Margaret Samuel-Howe and Elizabeth Free (Surrey, England); son-in-law Joe O' Dwyer; daughter-in-law Gobnait Hall, grandchildren Kieran Hall, Eoghan, Cathy, Elizabeth, Cathal and Joseph O' Dwyer. May he rest in peace. Courtesy of The Connacht Tribune 13 January 2006 Tweet

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