Tullamore stunned at sudden death of much loved sportsman, business owner and community activist

The sudden death took place on Monday morning of one of Tullamore's most revered sportsmen and characters, Pat Heffernan.

While he had battled recent health problems and had a stay in hospital some months ago, his death on Monday morning came as a great shock as he was on the road to recovery. He had been back out and about in Tullamore, attended the Tullamore GAA dinner dance on Saturday night and was in Cappincur Shop on Monday morning.

In his early 80s, he was known far and wide. His sporting exploits in football and rugby won him lasting affection and admiration but his role in Tullamore life went way deeper than this – he was a long standing business man and community activist in the town.

He captained Offaly to the Leinster MFC title in 1960, played for Offaly senior footballers, won SFC medals with Tullamore in 1963, '73 and '77 and a Provincial Towns Cup rugby medal in '76

In football, he was a very highly regarded defender, tough and hard but fair while he was renowned for his dedication to training. A non drinker, he lived a clean lifestyle and relished hard training. Invariably, he set the standards that others had to follow and he was a very driven footballer.

One of the highlights was captaining Offaly to a 1-12 to 1-5 win over Louth in the 1960 Leinster minor football final. That was a historic day for Offaly as they won their first ever Leinster senior football title, also beating Louth. Pat was centre half back on that minor team but he didn't get to receive the cup on the steps of the Hogan Stand – the 1959 champions Dublin had not returned the trophy and a furious Offaly County Board lodged an official complaint to authorities about this.

For the record, that Offaly team was: Paddy Merrigan (St Conleth's); Jimmy Kelly (Walsh Island), Charlie Daly (St Conleth's), Mick Bracken (Tullamore); Christy McGrath (St Conleth's), Pat Heffernan (captain, Tullamore), Gabriel Hayden (Tullamore); Martin Turley (Gracefield), Brendan Donoghue (St Mary's); Dick Shaughnessy (Walsh Island), Micky Ennis (Tullamore), Ricey Scully (Clara); Noel O'Brien (Clara), Tom Furlong (Tullamore), Joe Wrafter (Tullamore).

He played five league and championship games for Offaly senior footballers in 1964 and 1965, making his only championship appearance at wing back in the 1964 defeat by Louth.

GAA and football was his big sporting passion and he was particularly proud of the senior football medals he won with Tullamore in 1963, 1973 and 1977. He was a key player in '63 and '73 while he was a sub and a selector when Tullamore won in '77 - completing a famous treble of senior, u-21 and minor football in the one year before embarking on a long 23 year famine in the SFC. He was a sub when Tullamore won the Senior Hurling Championship title in 1964. He also won minor football medals with them in 1958, 1959 and 1960, minor hurling in 1958 as well as other ones. He remained a lifelong Tullamore and Offaly GAA fan and was tremendously proud of the achievements of both.

He and his wife Cora set up their family home in Barony Way, Daingean Road, Tullamore across the parish boundary in Daingean and he transferred from Tullamore to Cappincur for a couple of years in the early 1970s - Cappincur were junior then and he also played senior football with Daingean at that time. He was a huge addition to Cappincur at that time and he returned to Tullamore after that and winning those titles in 1973 and 1977. 

Pat also had a great interest in rugby. He took up the game comparatively late, playing his first season with Tullamore in 1969-1970 - incidentally, this was before the GAA's infamous ban ended in 1971 and he quickly adapted to the oval ball code. This could have led to suspension from the GAA but the ban was nowhere near as strictly enforced in Offaly in its final days as it had been just a short couple of years earlier - he was opposed to the ban and enjoyed other sports all his life.

He showed a great aptitude for rugby and a willingness to learn from people who grew up with the game. Rugby players in the 1970s also learned a lot from him, about possessing the right attitude and how to train hard and properly. He was an essential part of the Tullamore team that won a famous Provincial Towns Cup in 1976, then one of the most sought after competitions in Leinster junior rugby. He played in the centre or on the wing in rugby for years and is remembered with great fondness in Tullamore Rugby Club.

He was also a long time and dedicated member of Tullamore Golf Club - he had a great passion for golf and it was an important social outlet for him. Sport was a central part of his life but his contribution far transcended this.

He was a prominent business man as an owner of Tullamore Home Products, a brilliant singer and a great community activist.

He was a foreman in Cappincur Joinery for years and set up his own joinery business in Puttaghaun, Dunne and Heffernan with Bracklin man, the late John Dunne. Pat Heffernan, John Dunne and another Tullamore man Tony Murrihy then set up Tullamore Home Products, just off O'Moore Street in 1986 – Tony had worked with Pat in Cappincur Joinery from 1970 and they worked very well together as business partners and friends. Tullamore man, Brendan Martin, well known for being instrumental in the foundation of the national Ladies Football Association in the mid 1970s (the cup for the All-Ireland Ladies Senior Football Championship was donated by him and still bears his name), was also a director when it was established.

Supplying windows and doors, Tullamore Home Products was a very successful firm for twenty five years. They won a high reputation for the quality of their work, the competitivess of their prices and the honesty in which they dealt with customers and suppliers. They also provided valuable employment for locals but they didn't survive the Celtic Tiger crash, closing in 2011.

Pat eased into retirement after this and embraced it. He loved golf, playing regularly in Tullamore and enjoying the social tea and refreshments afterwards.

A religious man, he loved singing. He had a deep, powerful engaging, classical voice and commanded complete attention when he sang – his passion for religious songs such as Jerusalema and many others was evident to anyone who heard him. He sang in parish and dioscesan choirs, occasionally abroad, and other singing groups.

He was a relentless worker for Tullamore parish, running an annual golf classic for them for years as they bid to get a big debt reduced.

He was a lifelong fitness enthusiast and this continued right up to his death. He loved walking and being outdoors while he was one of the most familiar personalities around Tullamore.

He continued to work for Tullamore GAA club in a variety of ways throughout his life, supporting teams and fundraisers, helping man the gate at their Social Centre carpark.

A real gentleman, he was great personable company. A devoted husband and father he will be sadly missed by his beloved wife Cora, children and his home town, which he had such passion for while he had a great affection for his grandchildren and was proud of their progress and achievements.

A great, engaging conversationalist, he was a straightforward, very sociable man. He was very sincere, honourable and honest in his opinions and possessed the ability to make them heard in a non offensive way.

He came from a traditional, much cherished Tullamore family and will be sadly missed by his loving wife Cora and family Enda, Emer Kilroy (Claremorris), Mary Spollen (Tullamore) and Vera Flynn (Bray), sons in law Noel, Barry and Ronan, his adored grandchildren Ruairí, Hannah, Óisín, Ben, Faye, Thomas, Sam, Noah and Millie, brother Michael, sisters Bridie (Waters) and Anna (Hynes), brothers in law, sisters in law, nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives, neighbours and friends.

Reposing at his home on Wednesday from 2pm until Rosary at 8pm. Removal on Thursday morning to the Church Of The Assumption, Tullamore, arriving for Requiem Mass at 10am. Burial after Mass in Clonminch Cemetery, Tullamore.

A very impressive individual, he was a real true Blue and a great Offaly man. RIP Pat.