The Late Peter McNelis The people of Monaghan and his native Donegal were shocked by the sudden death of Peter McNelis, 3 Tully, Monaghan, which took place at his home on March 19th. Aged 58, Peter was a native of Ardara, Co. Donegal. He came to Monaghan in the late 1960s to study at St Patrick's Agricultural College and subsequently took up employment there. Peter joined the staff of St Davnet's Hospital in the early 1970s and enjoyed a long and distinguished term of employment there which continued to up to his death. His compassionate nature manifested itself in the manner in which he treated both the hospital's patients and his fellow employees. Peter was also a part-time member of staff at the Four Seasons Hotel and was an instantly recognisable and popular figure to patrons attending functions. His outgoing, engaging personality established a popularity for himself that permeated his adopted Monaghan community and extended throughout the country, He was a passionate and perfectionist gardener who devoted the same exacting care to the gardens of others in his local community and he did to his own. Dedication to the football fortunes of his native Donegal was also a distinguishing characteristic of Peter's life, and he attended county games the length and breadth of the country. His esteem for Donegal football was reciprocated on the occasion of the county's 1992 All-Ireland triumph when team captain Anthony Molloy travelled to Tully to present the McNelis family with a signed Donegal jersey. The jersey formed a poignant adornment to Peter's coffin during his obsequies. Further testament to the value his footballing countymen placed on Peter's support was the minute's silence observed in his memory prior to the recent Donegal v Tyrone National Football League encounter. It was natural that Peter would gravitate towards the football epicentre of his adopted community, and he became a devoted lifetime member of Monaghan Harps GFC, promoting the club Lotto, stewarding parking at games and giving active and enthusiastic support to the Harps' team at every level. The various tasks he performed for the club were always done willingly and executed with characteristic enthusiasm and good humour. His political convictions found expression in the Fianna Fáil party and he was a member of the Monaghan cumann for many years. Quintessentially a community man, he chaired the Tully Resident Association and was a core figure in the organisational duties attendant to the highly successful celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the estate which took place in August of last year. Peter is survived by his wife Mary, nee McGuigan, his sons Martin, Michael and Liam, their partners Amanda, Colette and Louise and grandchildren Luke, Leia and Eva. He also leaves to mourn his passing brothers Pat, Bundoran and Bernard, Ardara; sisters Ann Gildea, Ardara; sister-in-law, brothers -in-law and nephews. Striking testimony to the depth of public sympathy with the McNelis family on their loss manifested itself at the removal of the remains from Tully to St. Macartans's Cathedral on Sunday March 23. The remains were received by Fr Paddy McGinn, who also offered the Requiem Mass and officiated at the burial in Latlurcan Cemetery. Peter's association with the halcyon era of the Irish showband was vividly demonstrated at the Requiem Mass, when his friends from the music world paid him eloquent vocal tribute. Robert Mizzell sang ' The Rugged Cross' and there were renditions of 'Back Home To My Donegal' by Mick Flavin, and 'Amazing Grace' by Eamon McCann. The voices of Trevor Moyles and the St Macartan's Cathedral Choir also contributed to the occasion. As Peter was brought to his final resting place, guards of honour were provided by the residents of Tully estate, the Monaghan Donegal Association, Monaghan Harps GFC, Fianna Fáil, the staff of St Davnet's Hospital and the staff of the Four Seasons Hotel. Peter McNelis An Appreciation Peter McNeilis had a strong sense of place and identity. He was a caring family man to Mary, Martin, Mickey and Liam; a proud resident of Tully; a popular member of staff in St. Davnet's; a welcoming parking steward in the Four Seasons; a loyal Fianna Fail supporter and a hard-working member of Monaghan Harps. But there was one place and one identity that Peter treasured above all others, that place was Donegal and that identity was the Donegal football team. As Fr. McGinn said in his homily Peter believed and informed all that Ardara was the capital of Ireland. He was a welcoming and friendly face in town for all of us Donegal people that came to work in Monaghan, be it for a weekend or for a lifetime. He was instrumental in setting up the Donegal Association in Monaghan and in the weeks before his passing away was to the fore in organising a gathering of Donegal people in the county, an occasion that will not now happen in the near future and an occasion that will be much the poorer and lonelier for Peter's absence if it does happen. Peter lived and breathed football. He longed for the long spring evenings when the championship season would begin and his love for the green and gold would take him to Casement and Clones, longed for the Autumn when the Championship draw for the coming season would take place and Donegal's next duel could occupy his thoughts and decorate his conversation and he longed for the league campaign after Christmas when he would have to travel near and far to observe the blooding of the following season's championship hopefuls. Peter went to Heaven for he first time on the third Sunday of September in 1992 when Anthony Molloy, from his very own townland, climbed the steps of the Hogan Stand to bring Sam to the hills. How fitting it was and how proud Peter would have been if he had known that the very same Anthony journeyed from Ardara to Monaghan for Peter's wake and presented the family with a Donegal jersey. How wide a smile on his face would have been if he had known that a minute's silence was observed for him at the National League meeting of Donegal and Tyrone in Edendork. There wasn't a dry eye in St Macartan's Cathedral at Peter's funeral mass as Mick Flavin sang This is my Homeland. "This is my Homeland, the place I was born in No matter where I go, it's in my soul My feet may wander a thousand places But my heart will lead me back home to my Donegal". Those words could have written especially for Peter McNeilis. We miss you Peter. We will never forget you. The Donegal Association, Monaghan. Courtesy of the Donegal Democrat 10th April 2008 Tweet

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