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Irish Times
4 days ago
- Irish Times
Pat Fitzgerald remembered as a gifted trade unionist and dedicated father at funeral in Waterford
A former Waterford Crystal trade union official who died following an incident at his home in the city has been remembered at his funeral as a 'true champion of the underdog'. Widower Pat Fitzgerald, a father-of-three who was in his seventies, died at University Hospital Waterford last Sunday, August 3rd. A man has appeared in court in relation to an alleged assault on the former ATGWU trade union official. Wayne Fitzgerald told mourners at the Sacred Heart Church in Waterford that his father had an 'inspiring' work ethic and was 'passionate about making a difference'. READ MORE 'Pat found real purpose and fulfilment in his work. His commitment to his craft (as a blower at Waterford Crystal) was unwavering,' he said. 'He was a fierce negotiator and a passionate advocate for workers' rights. It is hard to believe that 20 years on people still speak about his impact.' He said his father's door had always been open to those in need, with 'countless' people seeking out help and advice. 'Whether it was about a sick child, a hardship fund or pension advice, Pat was always there to welcome them, listen and to help to the best of his ability.' Mr Fitzgerald said his father had had a 'sharp mind and quick wit'. 'As his family, we are so proud to hear the many sentiments about Pat – that he was generous to a fault, completely non-judgmental and that he always did things his way.' Mr Fitzgerald said his father was a family man who cherished every moment he spent with his loved ones. 'He would do anything to ensure our happiness and wellbeing. He was always there for us providing support, guidance and unconditional love. Throughout our youth he was our rock, our confidant and our inspiration.' Fr Gerard Chestnutt told mourners that death was a part of life. However, he added: 'If at all possible, every human being should leave this earth with dignity and surrounded by love. He was entitled to that." He noted that the latter years of Pat Fitzgerald's life were not easy after losing his wife Kathleen 'far too young' in 2007 and 'then his beloved Waterford Glass.' 'He had to carry his crosses. He lost two foundations of his life that could have broken any man or women.' Jimmy Kelly, Irish regional secretary of the Unite (formerly ATGWU) trade union, who also worked at Waterford Crystal, said Mr Fitzgerald gave his life to the company and the trade union. 'He was a living legend. He had an astute brain. He was great at reading a situation and coming to a solution on the best way forward,' he said. 'Pat had the industrial skills and the people skills to steer the ship through what he often described as shark-infested waters. He was committed to resolving matters through a consensus. That was vital.' Mr Fitzgerald is survived by his children Wayne, Joanne and Karl, his mother Maura and extended family. Offertory gifts at the mass included a deck of cards and a piece of Waterford Crystal. The mass concluded with My Way by Frank Sinatra and the Luke Kelly version of Days by Ray Davies. Mr Fitzgerald was buried in St Mary's Cemetery in Ballygunner, Waterford.
Irish Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Trade Union official who died after assault was a 'champion of the underdog'
A former trade union official with Waterford Crystal who died following an incident at his home in the city has been remembered at his funeral mass as having been a "true champion of the underdog." Widower Pat Fitzgerald, who was in his 70s, passed away at University Hospital Waterford on August 3 last. The father-of-three had been transferred onsite two days earlier following an alleged assault in St Catherine's Grange in Waterford. A man has appeared in court in relation to the alleged assault on the former ATGWU trade official. Wayne Fitzgerald told mourners at the Sacred Heart Church in Waterford that his father had an "inspiring" work ethic and was "passionate about making a difference." "Pat found real purpose and fulfilment in his work. His commitment to his craft (of blower at Waterford Crystal) was unwavering. "He was a fierce negotiator and a passionate advocate for workers' rights. It is hard to believe that 20 years on people still speak about his impact. "Pat did not work a regular nine to five job and our door was always open to those in need. Countless people would come looking for help and advice. "Whether it was about a sick child, a hardship fund or pension advice, Pat was always there to welcome them, listen and to help to the best of his ability." Mr Fitzgerald said that his father had a "sharp mind and quick wit." "No one was immune from it whether they be rich or poor. Sir Tony O'Reilly made international news when he purchased a (40) carat diamond engagement ring once owned by the Onassis family at auction for two and a half million. "That year Pat met Sir Tony at the (Waterford Crystal) AGM and during their brief conversation Pat remarked to him 'Tony could you not have afforded a new engagement ring?' "As his family we are so proud to hear the many sentiments about Pat. That he was generous to a fault, completely non-judgemental and that he always did things his way." Mr Fitzgerald said his father was a family man who cherished every moment he spent with his loved ones. "He would do anything to ensure our happiness and well-being. He was always there for us providing support, guidance and unconditional love. Throughout our youth he was our rock, our confidante and our inspiration." Meanwhile, Fr Gerard Chestnutt said that what happened to Pat was "tragic." "It should not have happened and therefore we should not be here. We know as human beings that death is part of life. It is reality. But if at all possible every human being should leave this earth with dignity and surrounded by love. He was entitled to that." Fr Chestnutt said that the last years of the life of Pat Fitzgerald were not easy for him as he lost his darling wife Kathleen "far too young" in 2007 and "then his beloved Waterford Glass." "He had to carry his crosses. He lost two foundations of his life that could have broken any man or women." Jimmy Kelly, Irish Regional Secretary of the UNITE (former ATGWU) trade union, who also worked at Waterford Crystal said that Pat gave his life to the company and the trade union. "He was a living legend. He had an astute brain. He was great at reading a situation and coming to a solution on the best way forward. Pat had the industrial skills and the people skills to steer the ship through what he often described as 'shark infested waters.' He was committed to resolving matters through a consensus. That was vital." Mr Fitzgerald is survived by his adult children Wayne, Joanne and Karl, his mother Maura, eight siblings, his four grandchildren, in-laws, extended family, neighbours and friends. Offertory gifts at the mass included a deck of cards, a piece of Waterford Crystal and a copy of the Irish Times. The mass concluded with My Way by Frank Sinatra and the Luke Kelly version of Days by Ray Davies. Mr Fitzgerald was buried in St Mary's Cemetery in Ballygunner in Waterford following noon mass. Mr Fitzgerald was a very well-known figure in Waterford. He was the chair of the 364 branch of the UNITE trade union in 2009 when Waterford Crystal workers occupied the plant. The sit-in began on January 30, 2009 after the company's receiver shut down manufacturing after running out of cash. The occupation lasted close to two months and ended after workers agreed to split a payment of €10 million. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
Irish Daily Mirror
05-08-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
Funeral details announced for man who died two days after incident at his home
The funeral details of a man who died two days after an incident at his home in Waterford have been announced. Pat Fitzgerald, who was in his 70s and a former chairman of the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers Union (ATGWU), was found with injuries and unresponsive at his home in St Catherine's Grange on Friday, August 1. He was brought to University Hospital Waterford but passed away on Sunday, August 3, two days after the incident. Mr Fitzgerald was a former chairman of the ATGWU and had been employed for many years at Waterford Crystal, his death notice on stated. Mr Fitzgerald is predeceased by his wife Kathleen (nee Flynn), his father Jack, brother Mark and nephew Luke. 'Much loved father of Wayne, Joanne and Karl. Will be sadly missed by his mother Maura, brothers Nicky and John, sisters Joan, Margie, Brenda, Helen, Ann and June, grandchildren Mia, Ruben, Sofia and Adam, son-in-law Mick, daughter-in-law Barbara, his brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, extended family, neighbours and friends," his death notice continued. He will lie in repose at Tom Hennessy's Funeral Home, 45A Johnstown, Waterford on Thursday, August 7 from 5.30pm to 7pm. Mr Fitzgerald's funeral will walk from Ballytruckle Green at 11.40am on Friday, August 8 to the Sacred Heart Church, The Folly, Waterford for Requiem Mass on arrival at 12 noon followed by burial afterwards in St Mary's Cemetery, Ballygunner, Waterford. Mr Fitzgerald's funeral announcement comes after David Norris, 35, appeared before a special sitting of Waterford District Court on Sunday, August 3 on a charge of assaulting Mr Fitzgerald causing him harm. Norris, of Assumption Terrace, Rosbercon, New Ross in Wexford, appeared before Judge Miriam Walsh. Garda Donal Donohue of Waterford Garda Station gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution. Norris is charged with assaulting Mr Fitzgerald causing him harm at St Catherine's Grange, Waterford City on Friday, August 1. That offence is contrary to Section 3 (1) and 3(2) of the Non-Fatal Offences against the Person Act 1997 (as amended by Section 20 of the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023). Norris was remanded in custody to appear before the court again today (August 5). Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week
Irish Times
04-08-2025
- Irish Times
Man who died after being found with injuries in Waterford named locally
Gardaí in Waterford have begun an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of man in his 70s, who died at University Hospital Waterford on Sunday following an incident at a residential property in the city on Friday. The man, who has been named locally as Pat Fitzgerald, a former ATGWU official at Waterford Crystal, was found with injuries and unresponsive when gardaí and emergency services responded to an incident at a residential property at St Catherine's Grange shortly after 2pm on Friday. Mr Fitzgerald was transported to University Hospital Waterford for treatment but died on Sunday and gardaí have requested the services of the State Pathologist's Office and a post-mortem is expected to be carried out on the deceased in the coming days. Gardaí arrested a man in his 30s at the scene at St Catherine's Grange and he was detained for questioning before being charged at a special sitting of Waterford District Court on Sunday in relation to the assault on Mr Fitzgerald. READ MORE A senior investigating officer has been appointed, and a family liaison officer is providing support to the deceased's family. Gardaí have appealed to any witnesses to contact them at Waterford Garda Station on 051 305300 where an incident room has been established.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
How Trump's aid cuts are inflicting double the pain on LGBT+ people
At a drop-in centre on Uganda's border with Kenya, along a busy trucking route, groups of people gather to play Ludo and pick up their HIV medication. It's a safe space for people from LGBT+ communities who have been turned away or harassed at other facilities. But the centre is now quiet – three-quarters of its staff have had to be laid off after cuts to US aid. Stocks of drugs are running low and most of its regular clients have stopped showing up. Since January, when Donald Trump came into office for the second time, the centre has lost its funding. 'I have a friend who is taking antiretrovirals [ARVs]. He has now gone a week without,' explains Shafiq, 24, who relies on the centre, putting him at risk of getting sick or infecting others. 'It really tortures us so much'. This comes in the wake of The Independent revealing that the US cuts have derailed the projected end of the Aids pandemic, which could lead to 4 million extra deaths by 2030. Uganda has faced international criticism for harsh anti-homosexuality laws passed in 2023 – punishing consensual same-sex relationships with penalties of up to life in prison. As a result, specialist services that help LGBT+ people access HIV care are generally run by charities and community organisations outside of the public health system. The centre in the town of Busia, which is run by the Amalgamated Transport General Workers Union (ATGWU), started life when its founder observed how truckers would spend time there, creating a market for sex workers – and a hotspot for HIV transmission. Now it serves as a clinic and meeting place for LGBT+ people too. While it remains open at the grace of volunteers, supplies of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) – to reduce the risk of contracting HIV – condoms and ARVs for treatment have been dwindling. Staff pay and stipends for volunteers came from US funding – now all gone. The hostile law makes it hard enough to reach these groups with prevention services, while also deterring people from seeking support and medication. Trump's cuts are only making things worse. The Uganda Key Populations Consortium (UKPC), an NGO supporting vulnerable communities, confirmed to The Independent that it has recorded incidents of people being denied medical care in public hospitals because of their identities since the US cuts were announced in January. Shafiq's story is illustrative of this discrimination. He says he found his way to the drop-in centre in Busia, having been denied antibiotics for a sexually-transmitted infection (STI) at a public hospital. He found a friendly place and started working there, helping others to access free medicines, testing and counselling. 'It gives me a chance to talk about what I'm really going through,' Shafiq adds. It allowed him to get supplies of PrEP to protect him from contracting HIV. But owing to the aid cuts, Shafiq took his last dose of PrEP five days ago, when stocks ran out. He worries that without it, his next partner could infect him with the virus. More than one in 10 gay men in Uganda are estimated to be living with HIV. HIV testing and medication are supposed to be available to everyone in public hospitals and clinics. 'The treatment is there, but they cannot give it to us just because they know what we are doing is illegal,' Shafiq says, speaking about being turned away for treatment when hospital staff found out he was gay. 'You are discriminated [against]. You are isolated and you feel like shying away. You also feel like you are unwanted within the community,' Shafiq adds. In hospital facilities, he says: 'They ask you so many questions. After asking you so many questions, they start judging you.' 'Most of our peers were suffering from such incidents,' he adds, referencing harassment while waiting in line at public hospitals or at times outright denial of services. Richard Lusimbo runs the UKPC, a leading organisation in the country supporting groups euphemistically referred to as 'key populations'. This vague language is designed to ward off the hostility that can come with openly advertising that you are helping LGBT+ people (and other vulnerable groups like sex workers). Lusimbo has begun to hear reports from contacts around the country of trans people being turned away at hospitals. 'We saw some cases of increasing stigma and discrimination in health facilities. 'In eastern Uganda there's a facility where a trans person was turned away by a security guard saying Trump does not support you people, so leave.' The Ugandan Ministry of Health said the allegations raised in this were 'untrue'. A spokesperson said: 'As a government, we uphold a non-discriminatory policy in service delivery, ensuring equal access to healthcare for all. Despite the funding cut, we're reorganising our system to maintain continuity ... Our clinics remain open to all patients, providing care without discrimination.' But for Lusimbo, the US cuts have helped 'send people back to spaces where they've been discriminated against, they've been castigated, again making them more vulnerable'. Withdrawal of health resources has a 'serious and disproportionate impact on groups of people that are highly vulnerable to HIV,' the UN Aids agency (UNAIDS) deputy director, Angeli Achrekar, says. Not only does this first and foremost harm those vulnerable communities, it creates the risk that 'the progress made in the fight against HIV will go into reverse', says Achrekar. 'That would be a tragedy for global health,' she adds. This article was produced as part of The Independent's Rethinking Global Aid project
