The late Mattie Malone

There was great shock among staff at the Department of Social Welfare, and among the members of the Malone family from Castletown Finea, upon the sudden death of Matthew (Mattie) Malone, who died suddenly on August 3.Mr. Malone, who was just 48 years of age, lived in Mullingar and worked in the local Social Welfare Office, but had previously also worked in the Department’s offices in Dublin, Sligo and Donegal.He enjoyed his work, and was popular with his colleagues, as was evident from the turnout at his funeral, to which former workmates travelled from all parts of Ireland.Son of Margaret and the late Martin Malone, who died in 1997, Mattie was one of a large family, and he was close to his siblings, even travelling as far as Australia from time to time to visit his sister, Teresa, who lives in Sydney.A keen sports fan, he played hurling in his youth with Castletown Finea and with Castlepollard, and there was a Castlepollard hurling jersey placed on his coffin at the funeral.He will also be remembered for his love of gadgets, and his interest in computers and mobile phones and all the latest technological gizmos.Mr. Malone is survived by his mother, and by his siblings, Gerry (Dublin), Patrick (Isle of Wight), Martin (Kells), Christine Fagan (Castlepollard), Margaret Humphreys (Newcastle, England), Kathleen Larkin (Ballivor) and Teresa Benetos (Sydney), as well as by his brothers-in-law, sister-in-law, nephews, nieces, extended family and friends.The removal took place from the mortuary at the Midland Regional Hospital in Mullingar to St. Michael’s church in Castletown Finea, where the remains were greeted by Fr. Sean Connaughon, and the funeral Mass was celebrated by Fr. Patrick Moore.