Offaly mourns passing of engineering company founder

THE death has occurred of one of Tullamore's best known businessmen, Tom Coughlan, founder of Coughlan Engineering.

Following his establishment of the company some 50 years ago, Coughlan Engineering grew to become one of the foremost metalwork and fabrication firms of its kind in the country and on his retirement in 1998 it was sold to In Granite.

It was, and remains, a very important employer at its base in Riverside, Tullamore and the passing of its founder has occasioned much sadness across Tullamore, Offaly, the wider Midlands region and the entire construction sector.

Tom Coughlan, Church Road, Tullamore passed away peacefully at the Regional Hospital, Tullamore on Sunday (October 2) and Tom will be sadly missed by his loving wife Anne and family Anita, Fiona, Mairéad, Thomas and Niamh, sons-in-law Mark, Liam and Mark, daughter-in-law Stephanie, grandchildren James, Aoibhe, Siún, Jack, Ryan, Harry and Max, sisters-in-law Phil and Ann, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and many friends.

His remains are reposing at his home on Tuesday from 3pm until rosary at 6pm and the removal will take place on Wednesday morning at 9.30am to the Church of the Assumption, Tullamore, arriving for Requiem Mass at 10am. Burial will take place after Mass in Clonminch cemetery, Tullamore.