Diamond, Padhraig
July 05, 2013"All of us who mourn Padhraig Diamond here today - his family, his neighbours and friends, his work and political comrades - are better people because we knew, met and talked with Padhraig.
His intellect; his compassion; his love of nature, community and country and his great breadth of knowledge made us all reflect on our own values and priorities". Words spoken by local Sinn Fein TD Michael Colreavy as Padhraig Diamond was laid to rest in Creevelea Cemetary on 9th February 2013.
Padhraig was born in Leckaun, Newtownmanor and attended school and worked the family farm there. He also developed his love of the countryside, nature and construction during those formative early years. He married his beloved Kitty (Travers of Killavoggy) and moved to Dromahaire where they reared 3 sons and 1 daughter. Padhraig was an outstanding husband, father and neighbour. He had a great pair of hands, and was always ready and willing to help out a neighbour when he was not busy working with various contractors or reading the ESB meters in Glencar and Manorhamilton. In later years he worked on several community development projects - including the Apple Fountain outside the Woodview Inn in Dromahaire which stands now on Dromahaire's Back Line as a testimony to his artistic and technical skills. In his youth, Padhraig played with St. Patricks GAA Club, Dromahaire and he had a great love for and encyclopaedic knowledge of sports in general but GAA in particular.
Padhraig had a great interest in politics and could debate intelligently with the most learned politicians. He detested unfairness and was a lifelong Irish Republican who recognised the plight of Nationalists in the 6 counties and sought to have them addressed. He was an enthusiastic supporter of the peace process and felt it provided a political path to justice, equality, peace and reunification. Shortly before his death, Padhraig took up computers and took to IT like a duck to water - no challenge was too great for him!
Padhraig is pre-deceased by his wife Kitty who died in December 2006 and is survived by his four children Cathal, Gerard, Joseph and Sinead.
AT Dheis De go raibh se.
Courtesy of the Leitrim Observer. Tweet
