A dedication ceremony is to take place on Tuesday to name the new Moate town park in honour of the late Private Patrick Kelly.
The tribute marks the 25th anniversary of the death of Pte Kelly, who was shot dead by the IRA in the line of duty at Derrada Woods, Co Leitrim on December 16, 1983. He was the first Irish soldier to be killed in action in this country since the Civil War.
Tuesday’s ceremony will take place at Clara Road, Moate at 11am, to be followed by Mass at the local Carmelite church at 12 noon. The dedication ceremony will be attended by Pte Kelly’s son David; Brig Gen Gerard Hegarty GOC, 4th Western Brigade; cathaoirleach of Westmeath county Council, Cllr Joe Whelan; as well as the chaplain Fr Owen Thynne.
The suggestion for the park’s renaming came from the Moate Tidy Towns Committee, and at September’s Athlone area meeting, councillors agreed unanimously to a motion from local Cllrs Joe Whelan and Tom Allen. They proposed the town park be named in memory of the late soldier and other deceased members of the Defence Forces in the Moate area.
Both councillors spoke emotively at the meeting of the late soldier. “Patrick Kelly died on December 16 1983, leaving behind his wife Catherine and four sons. He was a great family man, whose great passion was cars. He had done three tours of duty in the Lebanon and one in Cyprus, and had served his country well,” said Cllr Whelan.
“It is fitting that the town park in Moate be dedicated to his memory and to members of the defence forces from Moate, which has a strong link to Custume Barracks. It would also be a great honour to his family that this park be dedicated to him.”
Cllr Allen added that he would never forget the day he heard that Pte Kelly had died. “It was a great tragedy to his family and friends. Moate is well known for the amount of its people in the Army, and it continues to serve the Army well. It is fitting that this park, close to where Pte Kelly lived, be named after him,” he said.
