'A champion of the underdog' - Waterford's Pat Fitzgerald laid to rest
Pat Fitzgerald was laid to rest on Friday, August 8.
Pat Fitzgerald was laid to rest today after a Requiem Mass in the Sacred Heart Church at The Folly, Waterford.
Father Gerry Chestnutt presided over the Mass and praised Pat as a dedicated and kind husband, father and friend.
Fr Chestnutt welcomed the congregation with the words: "This is a day of immense sadness. Perhaps words are very difficult to find, but words must be and will be spoken, and there will be words that will cover the fullness of Pat's life from beginning to end.
"We believe that all the ties of friendship and love, which unite us as one throughout our lives, do not unravel with death."
Fr Chestnutt spoke of the shock of Pat's sudden death and how it has affected not only his family and friends, but the community also.
He said: "What happened in this community last weekend was, to put it very mildly, tragic. Tragic for Pat and for you, his family, and for all who would have known him in his community and beyond for he was a very well-known figure.
"It should not have happened, and therefore we should not be here."
He continued: "I have not heard one bad word being spoken about Pat, for words of remembrance and certainly words of sadness, sad at what happened to him last weekend, and sad that he's no longer visible to the eye, especially with himself, his family."
Pat's dear friend and fellow trade unionist Jimmy Kelly spoke lovingly about their many adventures, both in and outside of Waterford Glass. Pat was the former Chairperson of the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers’ Union (ATGWU) and was a passionate defender of workers' rights, especially during the collapse of Waterford Crystal in 2009.
Jimmy said: "Having worked closely with Pat for 14 years, I have some great memories of Pat, some of them still covered by the Official Secrets Act. But for sure, a lot happened in past times across the Waterford Crystal factory, across our union, the local trade union movement through the Waterford Council of Trade Unions."
He spoke about how entwined Pat's life was with 'The Glass'.
"Pat gave his working life to Waterford Crystal and also to the union. Without fear of contradiction, it can be said that while Fitzy worked at the factory, he was a living legend. The history of Waterford Glass is Pat Fitzgerald's history.
"Getting to know Pat, you knew a man who had an astute brain, a sharp, razor sharp wit, which we were all probably subjected to at one time or another. He was great at reading a situation and coming to a conclusion on the best way forward, while we valued each other's opinion."
Pat's son Wayne gave a lovely eulogy, describing Pat as a pillar of support and love for himself, his sister Joanne and brother Karl.
He said: "He was always there for us, providing support, guidance and unconditional love. Although it may sound cliché, throughout our youth, he was our rock, our confidence and our inspiration."
The Mass heard about the kind, loving and supportive father who took his daughter Joanne to the library every Friday and would read the books she was reading so that they could talk about them together.
Wayne continued: "As a family, we spent many hours at the kitchen table chatting with Pat about the politics of today, issues happening in work, and with him, challenging us to think for ourselves and to know how to make a sound argument."
Wayne spoke about the lifelong love between his dad Pat and mum Kathleen. He said: "When I think back to their antics, they were reckless, full of mischief and fun, and lived every day to the fullest without a care for the week ahead."
Wayne continued: "Pat would have been extremely humbled and secretly delighted to see all of the recent write-ups about him and the impact he had during his time in the Union over the years.
"As his family, we are so proud to hear the many sentiments about Pat, that he was generous to a fault, completely non-judgmental, with a great sense of humor and sharp wit, and that he always did things his way."
The ceremony ended, fittingly, with the song 'My Way' by Frank Sinatra, followed by a cover of 'Days' by The Kinks.
"Thank you for the days/ Those endless days, those sacred days you gave me/ I'm thinking of the days/ I won't forget a single day, believe me."
May he Rest in Peace.
