A celebration of the life of Patrick Golden

Wednesday 18th August at 12:00
Requiem mass at St. Marys RC Church Failsworth

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After the ceremony, this page will be updated with options to view or download a copy of the service recording.

Margaret, James, Frances and Family would especially like to thank our great friend Mary Collins for her unwavering support. We are eternally grateful to you all for your prayers, kindness, messages of sympathy and offers of assistance during this sad time.

If wished, donations in memory of Patrick may be made to the following:
Maggies, Oldham https://www.maggies.org/our-centres/maggies-oldham/
Irish Community Care https://www.irishcommunitycare.com/

Eulogy

Some thoughts about Dad - from his children James and Frances

Dad was just 71 when he died, which seems too young to us, but we feel blessed to have had all those happy years together. He was born in November 1949 in West Clare and was undoubtedly proud of his Irish roots. His parents Kitty and PJ ran a family farm and he was one of 5 children, Mary, Angela, Bridie and Dominic. 

He came to Manchester in 1966 at the tender age of 17 and went to work for his cousin Fintan Kirwan. It’s there that he met his lifelong friends John Fitzgerald and John Raleigh. The joke is that John Fitzgerald was given a few extra pounds from Fintan to look after Dad, but we’re sure that Dad was well able for it all. 

The sights and sounds of Manchester in the 1960s, must have been a far cry from the Goldens farm in Benvoran. He met Mum (‘my Margaret’ as he called her) in the Carousel Club soon after, and they were married in 1972.  Fate intervened that night as Mum was scheduled to be working. She was in the midst of her midwifery training at the time, and a friend came to visit her unexpectedly. Luckily she was given the night off, and off they went to the club where Dad met Mum. Next year would have been their 50th wedding anniversary, which we still intend to celebrate in style. 

Since then both have been active members of the Irish community in Manchester - Dad with the Clare Association, both with the Irish Education Group and with various music events. He loved music, playing both the tin whistle and the harmonica and he loved singing whenever and wherever he could. Classical music also featured heavily in his life, and you could often find him sitting on the sofa with his eyes closed listening to a piece of music he enjoyed. 

Most holidays were spent in Ireland, split between Clare and Louth, and we both remember the early morning ferries and arriving in Dublin tired but excited to greet the new day and to see the family. These trips were invariably busy, but Dad liked to keep life simple, and he liked nothing more than a walk around the farm with his brother Dominic. 

Work took him to various companies, but latterly to United Utilities. Whilst working there he became a ‘mature student’, and went back to school successfully completing his degree in 2001. Dad retired early from United Utilities and kept each day busy with his various hobbies, but the first priority was always to read the newspaper and to make Mum breakfast in bed. He supported Mum in her various projects, but also loved a project of his own, especially in the garden, and we continue to enjoy the fruits of his labour.

One of his favourite things to do was to walk, either solo, with Mum, or with the Wednesday walking group, and he relished studying the local maps to plan his walks. He even walked along the new stretch of the M60 before it opened, and was regularly seen locally with his shears in hand chopping down brambles to keep the precious footpaths clear. He was particularly proud of walking the 780Km of the Camino de Santiago from start to finish with family and friends. 

Dad was fiercely proud of his family, and never failed to tell us so, which instilled a great sense of self in us both. Ours was a happy family home, and we had a great childhood at No. 7. Mind you as Dad would always say, we had great parents! Mum and Dad worked hard to send us to good schools, and to give us the best possible start in life. They helped us to thrive and with their guidance, gave us the best foundation to carry forward to our own families. 

Dad and Mum were thrilled to welcome Lisa and Dan into the family, and we’ve had many fun times together. He loved his grandchildren, Grace and Patrick, and was always keen to spend time with them, be it in the back garden playing, reading stories to them, family dinners, day trips or holidays. Some of our favourite memories are the peals of laughter when he was playing with them or his wry smile at another of life’s absurdities that he’d come across. These are all precious memories which will sustain us in times to come. 

As we start to recover from the shock of his passing, we remind ourselves that he'll always be in our heads and our hearts even if he can’t be here himself; remembering fondly his own words that “he’s washing his hair”. To paraphrase others far smarter than us, we must remember that death only ends this life, it doesn’t end the memory or love for them. 

He is remembered as a kind, loving, joyful, funny, generous man, and we will miss him immensely. 

We love you Dad, 

James and Frances

Streamed & Recorded live by Northern Powerhouse Media