THE TOWN of Enniscorthy came to a standstill on Saturday when hundreds of people packed into St. Aidan’s Cathedral to bid a sad goodbye to one of its most beloved members, Cllr Pat Cody (57).
The sun shone down on the vast crowd of mourners, who came to pay tribute to Enniscorthy’s Town Council Chairman, a man described as “honest, sincere and inspirational” after he peacefully lost his 9-month battle with cancer in his Cherryorchard home last Thursday.
Representing Pat’s Labour Party, the funeral was attended by Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore and Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton, as well as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin, Government Chief Whip Paul Kehoe, John Browne TD and former TD Sean Connick.
Mayor of Wexford George Lawlor, Wexford County Manager Adrian Doyle, Enniscorthy Town Manager Tony Larkin and Enniscorthy Town Clerk Dave Minogue were also in attendance, as was Martin Brett, Mayor of Kilkenny, where Pat was born.
Councillors from Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford and the South East Regional Authority also attended, as well as Pat’s former colleagues in St. Senan’s Psychiatric Hospital and SIPTU members.
Administrating the mass was Fr. Richard Lawless, who was joined on the alter by Bishop Denis Brennan, Fr. Brian Broaders and Arch Deacon Chris Long. Fr Hugh O’Byrne, Parish Priest of Blackwater and Fr Denis Kelly Parish Priest of Screen/Curracloe were also in attendance.
In his homily, Fr. Lawless lamented that Pat’s life had ended all too soon. He said that despite being proud of his Kilkenny roots, Enniscorthy soon became his new home, which he developed a strong passion for.
He commended Pat’s many involvements throughout CountyWexford, which included being Vice Chairman of Wexford County Council, a nurse in St. Senan’s for over 35 years, a former Regional President of SIPTU, a member of the Board of Management for Adamstown and EnniscorthyVocationalColleges, and of Wexford Enterprise Board and Regional Authority.
“All of these involvements gave Pat the opportunity to do good,” Fr. Lawless said. “It gave him the opportunity to be an echo of Christ’s light in the world, servicing others.”
He noted Pat’s many admirable personality traits, saying he was caring, kind-hearted, gentle, helpful, generous, determined and strong. “He was a great friend to many, a loving husband to Breda and devoted father to Aislinn,” he said.
“All of his qualities of personality were needed to charge him through the long trial of his nine months of illness, which was diagnosed in October of last year after Pat was admitted to hospital with a pain in his back. The nine months since then brought many complications; false dawns, set backs and suffering.
“Breda and Aislinn did all that was humanly possible to care for and support him, as did the medical staff in the various places he was cared for. Despite this, in the end, the illness was to take his life. Throughout all the trials, he revealed the sterling quality of his personality. Enduring great pain, he still maintained concern for others.”
Fr. Lawless added that when nothing more medically could be done for Pat, his quiet acceptance of death was “moving and inspired, and a great consolation to his loved ones.”
[For full report, see this week’s Echo]