Club President Pat Hayes.
Patrick Hayes, of Limerick, long time member and President of the Limerick Chess Club since 1995, passed away(suddenly) on Monday 28th March 2016 in University hospital, Limerick aged 78.
Club President Pat Hayes presenting Limerick League trophy to 2015 Limerick Club champion Niall McDonnell on 13th May 2015.
Pat was a dedicated member of the Limerick Chess Club and played in chess tournaments since the 1960s. He was always smiling and friendly in spite of his competitiveness over the board. Pat won the 1969 North Munster chess championship when he was rated around the 1700s and won first place in the 1999 Bunratty tournament Majors section. He was popular with all players and was always willing to offer a lift to and from the club in his Toyota Yaris after club meetings to any member that needed lifts. He competed in many Munster League matches for Limerick club in the past.
Pat was very encouraging to all new and especially young players and spent a lot of time patiently teaching young players the rudiments of the game, including the basic checkmates.
He was also very active on church committees in both Limerick and Dublin. He was often away on weekends to Dublin in recent years attending church meetings. He was very keen on his fitness ever since his retirement and walked almost daily into Limerick city from his home with a backpack not only to do his groceries but mainly to keep healthy.
Pat attended as many funerals as he could, not only of people he knew but often was at funerals of people he hardly knew. He was a very sociable, friendly character who would strike up a conversation sometimes with total strangers as he was walking and pretty soon they were strangers no more!
Pat was an honorary and dedicated lifetime member of the Limerick Beekeepers Association. He kept bees and packaged bottles of honey. Last year he turned up at my place with a present of a bottle of honey which was of very high quality!
I bid you Farewell my friend! May you rest in peace!
Reposing at Griffins funeral home, John's Gate on Thursday, March 31st 2016 from 5 pm. Removal at 6.30 p.m.to St. Mary's Church, Athlunkard St. Funeral on Friday, April 1st after 11 am Mass to Mount St. Oliver cemetery.
By Phillip Foenander