Huge crowds pay respects to former Athlone Mayor Egbert Moran

The high regard in which the late Egbert Moran was held could clearly be seen on Monday when a huge gathering turned out to pay respects to the former Athlone Mayor at his funeral Mass in Coosan.

The Bonavalley man, who was involved in business locally and served as a Fianna Fáil councillor for nearly 15 years, died at home on Thursday morning last, October 30, at the age of 83.

As his funeral cortege made its way to Our Lady Queen of Peace Church for the Mass at noon on Monday it passed two guards of honour. One was arranged by Buccaneers Rugby Club, with which he had a long association, while the other involved current and former members of Westmeath County Council.

The celebrant of the funeral Mass, Fr Padraig Kelliher, said Egbert was "very much a son of Athlone", having been based in the town throughout his life.

Addressing Egbert Moran's wife of 54 years, Mary, his daughter Karla, and sons Niall and Garrett, Fr Padraig said: "His involvement in politics was part of who he was, but ultimately he was a family man. He was there for you, and you were there for him.

"In more recent times he wasn’t able to do as much as he wanted, but he was still able to do a lot. It was less than a week ago, on Monday evening last, that he was out with you at the golf club.

"He went away peacefully on Thursday last, surrounded by his family at home," said Fr Padraig.

During his time in business, Egbert was managing director of Athlone Meats Ltd in Bonavalley, and was a past president of Athlone Chamber of Commerce.

He was co-opted onto Westmeath County Council in 1995, following the death of Senator Sean Fallon, having narrowly missed out on a council seat at the 1991 and 1994 local elections.

He then went on to serve as a local representative until 2009, becoming Cathaoirleach of Westmeath County Council and Mayor of Athlone Town Council on two occasions during that time.

Minister of State Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran told the Westmeath Independent that he had learned so much from Egbert Moran when he was starting out in politics.

"Egbert was a very close friend and a man who gave me a huge start in public life. He taught me everything I needed to know. We were very close, and went to a lot of meetings together.

"I always remember when I first told him I was going for the Dáil, and the advice that he gave me. He was a great ambassador for Athlone as a councillor and a great businessman.

"At meetings the advice he would give other councillors was second to none, in terms of his business knowledge. A lot of decisions that were taken for the betterment of Athlone back in Egbert’s time have now come to fruition," said ‘Boxer’.

Monday’s November meeting of Athlone Moate Municipal District was adjourned for 15 minutes as a mark of respect to the late Egbert Moran, who was described as a man who gave "decades of service" to the town and the wider area.

Among the many warm tributes paid to the former Mayor was one from current Mayor, Cllr Vinny McCormack, who described Egbert Moran as being "part of the fabric of Athlone" and someone who was "hugely respected and well-liked in business and politics".

Cllr Aengus O’Rourke said Egbert had contributed to "so many arenas and platforms" of life in Athlone, from sport to business to politics, but he cherished his family above all else.

Other councillors, including Cllr Frankie Keena said the deceased would be remembered for his "great wit and sense of humour" while Cllr John Dolan said he was "a genuinely nice man" and Cllr Paul Hogan described him as "an Athlone man through and through" who had been his mentor when he first entered local politics.

Egbert served as a former captain and past president of both Athlone Golf Club and Buccaneers Rugby Football Club, with the latter describing him as "one of the real characters" of rugby in Athlone.

"The Moran family has been synonymous with rugby in the town and Egbert was involved in the club from its very early days," said Buccaneers in a tribute.

"He played for many seasons, featuring in the Connacht Junior Cup finals of 1967 (when his late brother James was a teammate) and 1968.

"Following his playing career, he served in various roles at Athlone RFC, whom he captained in 1969/70, and he was honoured as president in 1987/88 when the senior team won the Connacht Senior League title."

At the conclusion of Monday’s funeral Mass, Egbert’s son, Niall, told those in attendance: "We are here today not just to mourn the loss of Dad, Egbert Moran, but to celebrate a long, rich, and truly well-lived life.

"To Mammy, Karla, Garrett, myself and anyone else lucky enough to call him family or friend, Dad leaves a gap that nothing can fill. But he also leaves us something far greater - a powerful lasting legacy of love and community.

"If you had to distill Dad's entire existence down to one common theme, it's quite simple: people. He loved people," said Niall. "It didn't matter if the conversation was funny, friendly or fraught, he loved the engagement, debate, camaraderie and connection.

"And it was through people that he pursued his three great passions in life: sport, politics and family.

"But it was family that really mattered. It was his absolute, undeniable purpose in life."

Niall went on to say that his father’s political involvement "was never about status or recognition, it was simply the most direct way he knew to engage and to serve the people he loved".

Niall concluded: "Let us - as he would have wanted - celebrate a life well-lived, focusing on the wonderful time Dad had, and the wonderful man he was."

Egbert Moran is sadly missed by his loving wife Mary (née Gilmartin), sons Niall and Garrett, daughter Karla (McCaul), sisters Pauline (O’Connor), Patsi (Caffrey), Breda (Griffin), Irene (O’Connor), Kathryn (Keady) and brother Dermot, daughter-in-law Edel, son-in-law Alan, grandchildren Darragh, Rachel, Holly, Tom and Joy, nephews, nieces, in-laws, relatives, neighbours and many friends.

Following the funeral Mass, his burial took place in Coosan Cemetery.

May he rest in peace.