ON October 5th, Padraic Gearty passed away, succumbing to an illness that he had ignored and fought for many years. Longford has lost one of its most outstanding, extraordinary and greatest sons. Padraic was involved in many associations, organisations and clubs in Longford and thousands of people travelled to honour him and pay their respects to his wife, Brenda, daughters Deirdre, Naoimh and Liadhan, brother Gerard and the extended family.
Padraic was a family man. Married to Brenda for more than 50 years, they had a wonderful life together. Brenda was his soulmate and his rock. He took enormous pleasure in her achievements and he was very proud of his three daughters and his grandchildren.
Padraic attended St Mel’s College in Longford. He studied law in UCD, graduating with BA and LLB degrees before qualifying as a solicitor in 1957. He returned to Longford to practise, with his late brother Enda, in his father’s firm. They built the practice of FJ Gearty Co into one of the largest in the Midlands. Padraic was a man of honour who was proud of his calling. He had a clear incisive mind which he brought to bear on legal issues. While a formidable opponent, he was unfailingly fair, his word was his bond and he never took a colleague short. Every new barrister on the circuit was briefed (and promptly paid!). Deirdre and Liadhan followed him into the law. Deirdre joined him in 1983 thus continuing the firm’s long and proud tradition.
Padraic was a talented sportsman. His first love was the GAA. His career started in St Mel’s College, winning a Leinster Senior medal in 1951. He played Sigerson Cup football for UCD and was chosen to play on the combined universities team against Ireland. On the Leinster team in 1962, he scored the first ever televised point on live television when Telefís Éireann covered the Railway Cup final between Leinster and Munster. He was one of the first people to formally seek the abolition of Rule 27, which prevented GAA members from playing “foreign” games. That was the essence of Padraic – identify what cannot be justified and then work to change it. He was honorary vice president of Longford GAA at his death, having been presented with its Hall of Fame award in 2008.
He managed with characteristic ingenuity to evade Rule 27 and even togged out and played soccer for Longford Wanderers! He was also founding member of the Longford Badminton Club and a key figure in Longford Tennis Club. In Co Longford Golf Club, he served in all roles, including honorary legal adviser. He introduced many to the game. He enjoyed the outings of the Irish Solicitors’ Golfing Society and often represented the Irish solicitors against colleagues from abroad. Many honours were awarded to him, amongst them Longford Person of the Year in 2000.
Padraic had a wonderful sense of humour. While he was a Longford man, he was much more than that. His vision and imagination were unlimited. He had enormous enthusiasm for life and had the mindset and energy to make things happen. He never let his illness get the better of him. He even went to the All Ireland football final last September. As Msgr Tim Hannigan said at Padraic’s funeral Mass: “If God wanted him, he was going to have to catch him”.
His was an inquisitive and questioning mind which he used to benefit the lives of many. With an enormous heart, he was involved on a voluntary basis in many organisations in Longford and was selfless in serving others. His lifelong purpose and ambition was to improve the lives of others. It is a tribute to his dedication that he realised that ambition.
Brenda, Deirdre, Naoimh, Liadhan and his extended family have lost a central figure in their lives, and he will be greatly missed by all who were fortunate enough to have known him. – PG