By Matt Nolan
He was born on May Day in the year of the Rising; he was known around every highway and byway of his native East Galway – and he hasn’t missed a copy of the Connacht Tribune since he first picked it up in 1934!
Patrick F Lohan, who marked his century in recent weeks and who is looking forward to a similar celebration for his 70th wedding anniversary in August, puts his long life down to avoid stress if he can.
And one way he has done that for over 80 years is his weekly read of the Tribune.
Pake – as he is known to everyone in Ballygar – has lived on the Main Street in the town for most of his life. He was born on May 1 1916 in the townland of Cloonkeen, a rural area a few miles north-west of Ballygar.
He always knew that he was born on a special day in a historic year but what he never imagined was that he would live to celebrate his 100th birthday in perfect health during the centenary of the Easter Rising.
He was the youngest of eight children of Maria Tully and Matt Lohan all of whom are now deceased except himself.
He remembers growing up in Cloonkeen where his father was the local weaver, one of just two weavers in Ballygar parish at the time. People were always calling to their house at “all hours of the day and night” giving in orders for wool blankets.
“It was a great business to be in at that time” Pake says.
See full interview in this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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