Paddy Griffin's devotion to his family was second to none

The death occurred of Paddy Griffin, Robinstown, Glenmore, at University Hospital, Waterford on November 11. He was surrounded by his loving wife and family.

A native of Ballyheigue, Co Kerry, our father was born to Mary (née Houlihan), The Islands, Urlingford and Thomas Griffin, Scarriff, Co Clare (Garda) in Duggan’s House in Ballyheigue on the 26th day of August, 1937. Dad’s brother Larry, formerly a Detective Garda in Clonmel (also now deceased) was born three years later. Thomas and Mary lost twin girls and twin boys at birth who are buried in Ballyheigue.

The family of four moved to a house on the Creamery grounds in Glenmore in 1942 where Dad and Larry gallivanted and caused general mayhem throughout the Glenmore as youths. Dad was a member of numerous football and hurling teams that won many county titles in Kilkenny. He also won numerous county running titles in cross-country for St Joseph’s Athletic Club and was still running in his late forties.

Dad was very involved in the Legion of Mary where he travelled with the sick and ill to Lourdes on numerous occasions. He was also a member of the Pioneers Total Abstinence Association and stuck to his pledge throughout his life.

Dad met the love of his life Breda Myers formerly of Gusserane, Co Wexford, who was then nursing in Waterford, at a dance at the Atlantic Ballroom in Tramore in 1965 which kick-started their love affair, resulting in their marriage in 1969.

Dad had started working in Murphy’s Motors, Glenmore, in 1955 where he began his mechanical apprenticeship. Throughout his time in Murphy’s he nurtured and taught numerous men the craft of becoming excellent mechanics. A close friend of my father told me a number of years ago he was a genius of a mechanic, in particular with Welger Balers. The story goes that a top technician was flown over from Welger Germany to fix a major problem with a Welger baler, he was beaten by it - but Paddy Griffin wasn’t.

Dad went on to become a salesman in Murphy’s and this was when he began to spread his wings, selling tractors, ploughs, spreaders, sprayers and combine harvesters the length and breadth of Ireland. He used to tell us of collecting combine harvesters in Rosslare and driving the harvesters to West Cork - some 13 hours of a journey with no cab, just a case or wrapping up from the elements.

In 1990 Dad left Murphy’s commencing work with men and women with special needs in the workshop at Belmont Park Hospital. I remember calling into see him where the boys and girls with special needs would swarm around Dad, literally hanging out of him. You could see how he was adored and loved by them all. Dad was so happy working in Belmont and this was very evident on the night of his retirement in 2002 where he received a wonderful send off.

Bees were my Dad’s number one passion, he had apiaries in six separate locations throughout Glenmore with over 110 hives. My mother tells me that, on the morning of their wedding, at 2am Dad finished extracting the remaining frames of honey where he loaded 2,500kgs of honey - that’s 14 barrels of honey.

One apiary which is still up and running, where I’m keeping Dad’s beautiful tradition of beekeeping alive, is in the Auk in Parkstown Glenmore. This is where Dad and myself, Eugene, Francis and Tommy would help Dad with the bees in particular when it came to harvesting the honey in August.
Dad would drop a Cidona bottle among the rocks in the running stream nearby. When we finished removing the honey from the hives we would head down to the stream - oh my God, how wonderful that Cidona was as it quenched our thirst. He would describe this place as ‘heaven’.

Dad was also very involved in Fine Gael and daren’t anyone ever criticise either Michael Collins or John Paul Phelan. He never lost his passion for his native Kerry, ensuring he never missed a football All-Ireland or, indeed, an All-Ireland where Kilkenny were participating in since the early 1960s. I have numerous fond memories of being lifted over the turnstiles in Croke Park and running onto the pitch as a child to touch the jerseys of the likes of Johnny Egan, Jack O’Shea or Pat Spillane, Christy Heffernan - all the greats. It is so fitting that, in the year of Dad’s passing, Kerry managed to lift the Sam Maguire once again.

Our father had a great faith and lived his life accordingly. Dad was a perfectionist, a true gentleman with a simple and beautiful nature. He was loyal, not just to his wife Breda for their 57 years together, but to his daughter Mary, sons PJ, Tommy, Eugene, Francis, his late son John Paul, his late brother Larry, his son-in-law, daughters-in-law, his grandchildren and friends, anyone who came in contact with him - as long as you weren’t the opposition in the heat of battle in a football or hurling game. He did so many wonderful kind deeds for people we will never know.

The following are excerpts from my siblings and I of our dearest and fondest memories of an incredible father, the most wonderful man I have ever known:
Francis - I remember the time myself and Eugene were on holidays with Mam and Dad in Kerry. We had an underage championship hurling match, where we told our hurling manager we would be away on holidays.
But Dad, being Dad, did not want us missing the match so he decided to drive us the whole way from Kerry back to Danesfort to play our match which we won. And then he drove the whole way back to Kerry!
Dedicated
That just sums Dad up. He loved the GAA and was very dedicated. That’s one of many fond memories I have of Dad.

Mary - Dear Daddy there are so many great memories I have of you, from the ‘sure isn’t that it now’ at the end if every conversation that made me smile. There was the day we were watching an All-Ireland on television when the picture suddenly froze as one of the Kerry lads was about to take a free. You said ‘what the hell is he at - is he going to take the free or what?’. Oh God, we laughed that day.
You gave me my passion for sport, especially hurling and football. You always made me remember where I was from, which made me a very proud Kilkennywoman just as much as you were a proud Kerryman.
You were a man with a great love of people and nature. You reminded us to keep it simple, as you always said we are just passing through. Love you forever, Mary.

Eugene - My earliest memories of Dad were how each weekend, without fail, we would to go for a walk with our black Labrador Prince up the lane from our house and through the fields, climbing over barbed wire and ditches or under electric fences and even around trees.
Dad would tell me who owned each field and how many acres were in each as he loved farming, animals and nature in general. He introduced me to beekeeping from an early stage and showed me the process involved in being a great beekeeper, which he was. I will never forget what he taught me. I saw how dedicated and hard he worked and I loved helping him take the honey off in August each year.
My favourite spot was John Joe Aylward’s. We used to take a break from taking honey off and head to the stream to cool off - it was like heaven, as Dad would say. I remember the balers he used to fix in the garden of our house - he was a genius with them. He would tell stories of fields he baled in or cut corn in. I was fascinated at this and always asked questions which he answered without hesitation.
Then there were the trips to the ploughing championship or Piltown Show when he was working in Belmont. I went with him as he chatted with the service users who all adored Daddy and he adored them.
He was very passionate about Kerry and Kilkenny and GAA in general. I loved asking him who were the best players he saw playing in the 78-odd years going to matches in Croke Park.
He set such a high such a high standard and even times when he was at his grandchildren’s camogie, hurling or football matches he would forget himself and be giving out about someone playing bad and his or her parents or relation would be beside him. We got used to it over time; even in my own playing days he wouldn’t hold back if my fellow team-mates were underperforming, leading to me apologising to them at half-time or after the game.
Dad saw all the great Gaelic footballers and hurlers during his time and had a fantastic memory of games even back as far as the ’50s, which I was in awe of. I always remember our trips to Croke Park with the tea and sandwiches ready the day before leaving very early, sometimes going to mass in the Nuns in New Ross on the way.
He was a fanatic Fine Gael follower and loved when the general elections were on so he could go canvassing, sometimes winning over supporters with his knowledge of local area and candidate.
I want to thank Dad for all he did for me and the great memories he has given me. He was a great timekeeper, extremely hard working, kind, caring, very religious and never had regrets. He lived a great life and loved Mam and his family. I would like to think I inherited some of his great qualities. Thank you Dad.

Tommy - When I think of Dad my primary thoughts are of how much of a hard worker he was, all for the benefit of his family. I remember the long days he used to spend at the bees and coming home probably sore from multiple bee stings ! I couldn’t manage one sting, he was tremendously strong and resilient man.
One of my most vivid memories of Dad was the time he literally hand-built a Datsun Cherry car from a rusted shell. I watched him closely as, for weeks and weeks, he restored this car to its former glory, not to mention the mechanics - he really was a genius.
I remember our maiden voyage in this brand new bright red Datsun was to Sunday Mass, I could tell Dad was so proud and rightly so; we were all so proud.
I have such respect and pride for Dad for how he loved working in the workshop at Belmont Park Hospital. The clients there absolutely idolised Dad and he them. I remember, on numerous occasions, going into to collect him from work with Mam, some of the lads would be trying to physically trying to stop Dad from going home and Dad would be laughing his head off. As I said they adored him, he was like a father to them. He was so kind to all the clients and helped them all so much, I’m so proud of dad for this.
My own children asked me recently what Dad was like when I was a child. I told them that he was hard working, kind, caring and a generous father who rarely raised his voice to us. I told them of the very fond memories of our yearly summer holidays in Ballyheigue and Banna Beach.
I smile myself when I think of these times. I loved these holidays and will cherish the memories because Dad was there.

PJ - Dad I can still smell the fumes of your little Dexta Tractor as she crept over John Joe’s lane to the bees, holding onto the safety bar for dear life, as we approached the hives. I was terrified but you were calm, a giant of a man, with big hands and a gentle touch. You explained things to me about these little creatures but I’m sorry Dad a lot of it went over me head. We dressed up for battle with these little bees, whose honey we were taking, and so we did for the benefit of us all.
Dad would describe this place as heaven and Dad I know you are still over there keeping a close eye on me and our little friends each time I visit. I will never ever forget you Dad and what you’ve taught me over the 52 years I will pass onto my five children.
I love you forever Dad, PJ.
- PJG