Death of of great character who was long serving garda in Offaly

THE death has taken place of retired Tullamore garda PJ Stack. One of the truly great characters, he was a mighty, engaging force of nature in Offaly for several decades.

He formerly served in Cloghan and Clonbullogue and people in those areas retained great memories of him. He was a young garda when serving in those areas and he got to know his locality very well, becoming very friendly with their people.

He served in Tullamore for years after this and was a real old style garda who got the job done very effectively. 85 years of age, the role of policing changed dramatically during his long 37 year career. He became a garda in an era when members were expected to move into the area where they served and immerse themselves in the local community. Many did this through the GAA and other sporting groups while gardai socialised in the local pub and got to truly know their area. It meant that they had an abundance of sources when crimes had to be solved and incidents sorted out, policing methods could be more agricultural than what would be permitted now and PJ Stack was very much out of this school - a lot of stuff was sorted without a judge ever being troubled but lessons were learnt and minor enough misdemeanours not repeated.

It is different now where gardai tend to live miles away from their station with the result that they aren't as well known but in PJ's young days, gardai were very much part and parcel of their area and many set up their home for life as a result. PJ did this in Tullamore, rearing a very popular family with his wife Margaret at Arden Vale. PJ adapted to and embraced the changes every job goes through over a period of time and he remained a very competent garda with a great way of relating with people in bother. It is an indication of his popularity that he was much loved everywhere he served.

He was a very popular and reliable taxi owner for years after retirement from the gardai. He initially set up a taxi company with another very popular adopted son of Tullamore, Mick O'Shea in the 1990s, and continued to work in this trade for several years.

A Kerry native, his pride in his home county never left him. He came from Banemare, Listowel and while he spent far longer outside Kerry than in it, one of his many endearing traits was that a Kerry lilt remained with him for life.

He was a devoted family man and very proud of his children and grandchildren. His son Niall was a hugely successful Tullamore senior football manager in recent years. He had to deal with hardship in his life, especially when a son Paul died at 18 years of age in 1999 and this was a devastating blow to his parents and siblings.

He had a passionate interest in the GAA and also enjoyed Offaly and Tullamore wins as well as Kerry ones.

He was terrific engaging company and time with him was always well spent and most enjoyable. He was sociable, enjoyed a pint and the bar scene. He was one of the wittiest men you could meet, he had a great way with words and he was great fun to be with.

He lived life to the full and went the distance. He is one of those rare characters that will have stories told about him for several years to come.

Pre-deceased by his beloved son Paul and brothers Michael and John, PJ will be sadly missed by his loving wife Margaret and family Garrett, Debbie, Padraic and Niall, daughters in law Mary, Olga and Jenna, son in law Micéal, his adored grandchildren Emily, Fionn, Oscar, Leah, Oísín, Naoise, Rory, Rachel, Ferdia, Marcas and Lauryn, brother Tom, brothers in law, sisters in law, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and a wide circle of friends.

Reposing at O'Reilly's Funeral Home, Harbour Street, Tullamore, on Tuesday from 6.30pm until Rosary at 8.30pm. Removal from his Home on Wednesday morning at 9.30am to the Church of the Assumption, Tullamore, arriving for Funeral Mass at 10am. Burial after Mass in Clonminch Cemetery, Tullamore.