Paddy Delaney is synonymous with Round Tower GAA Club. When Towers supporters travel beyond the parish and introduce themselves, they’re asked of Paddy Delaney. His name is associated with our proud club across the country. Over five decades, Paddy dedicated himself to Round Tower GAA Club. It was a constant in his life. He was a player, a mentor, manager, served on our Executive, our Chairman, vice-president. He marked the pitches, hung the nets, cut the grass. He was an incredible supporter of our esteemed club, both on the playing pitches and off it. We could wish for no better. He was our representative in Dublin GAA circles, a proud ambassador of our club and the Clondalkin community.
We’ve lost our best supporter. He touched thousands of people. His funeral will be testament to that. Players from his playing days will unite once again. We reunited Members of our 1965 Championship Final team in the club last June. Paddy and his playing comrades shared stories. That team will come together once again these coming days to say farewell. The 1989 championship winning Under 21 team were guided by Paddy. They are devastated by his passing. His influence never waned. With his great friend Bernie Cronin, he mentored our Junior B Footballers to an unbeaten league campaign last year. He spoke passionately of the team and what it was accomplishing. Paddy was a constant on the side of our playing pitches, supporting our teams home and away, offering guidance and support.
People have spoken of the welcome Paddy afforded them when they arrived at the doors of Round Tower GAA Club. He encouraged involvement and realised the importance of the club being a hub in the community. His influence is spread across the club and the wider Clondalkin community, amongst young and old. The messages of sorrow have been in their hundreds. They’ve come from the extended Clondalkin community and from across the world, recognising just how immense his loss is for us.
Monastery Road was sacred sod for Paddy. He was extremely proud of Round Tower’s playing pitches. This is our playing home. Paddy took great care of it, maintaining the facilities, marking the pitches, cutting the grass. On Wednesday he will make a final journey to it.
His second home was on Convent Road. Here he met with his friends, talked of life both on and off the playing pitches. We watched matches together, talked of Towers, Dublin and the GAA beyond. He’d a superb insight and knowledge of our national games, something we absorbed. We conversed re life outside the GAA world. He was forthright and polite in offering his views. Our club is quieter and people are shook. He will be sorely missed within the four walls of our great club.
We will gather to say goodbye. The wider Clondalkin community will join us. Representatives of Dublin GAA who Paddy served with, with great distinction, will join us. People are travelling from across Ireland to mourn Paddy.
We are devastated by the loss of our friend. We have our memories and we will speak very proudly and lovingly of him. The fortunes of our teams and Dublin will be intertwined with conversations surrounding Paddy.
For Paddy’s family, the hearts of Round Tower GAA Club go out to you. To his loving wife Esther, sons Tony and Pat, daughters Linda, Leona and Mairéad, sisters Breda and Ann, brothers Dermot and Gay, and extended family, we extended our deepest sympathies. We are blessed he settled in Clondalkin and served our club. We are very proud to have called him our friend and cherished to have had him in our lives. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anaim
The Footballers Prayer
Give me o Lord a Footballers skill
With strength of arm and speed of limb
Unerring eye for the flying ball
And courage to match them whatever befall
May my aim be steady – my Kick be true
My actions brave – my misses few
And no matter what way the game may go
May I part in friendship with every foe
When the final whistle for me is blown
And I stand at last at Gods Judgement Throne
May the great Referee says when he calls my name…
“You played like a man-You played the game”
Amen
