Pat Hooper RIP

John_Rambo

Very sad news.

https://www.rte.ie/sport/athletics/2020/1009/1170621-olympian-and-athletics-stalwart-pat-hooper-dies-aged-68/

whodafunk

John_Rambo wrote: »

Very sad news.

https://www.rte.ie/sport/athletics/2020/1009/1170621-olympian-and-athletics-stalwart-pat-hooper-dies-aged-68/

RIP. I only saw him the other day. He lives close to me see him most days out on his bike.

pc11

Just gutted, personally and for the club and the community.

Saw him all the time and he lived for athletics.

I'm really quite upset and thrown by this news, I have to admit...

Truthvader

Never met him but he his name was the first one anyone thinks about when marathons are mentioned in Ireland

Birdie Num Num

Great man. Always a pleasure to meet. Very sad for his family, Raheny and the wider athletics family. Great servant to Raheny and Irish athletics. He will be very sadly missed by many.

Pherekydes

Shocked and a bit upset. Only 68. Such a driving force behind the Raheny Shamrocks. RIP

Timmaay

RIP, gutted here also, massive massive and untimely loss for the sport, both with his relentless work ethic and infectious personality.

rovers_runner

Raheny are the benchmark, mainly due to the likes of Pat, RIP.

Oink

Met him only once and very briefly, but knew straight away he was a true gent. Rest in peace.

SnappyDresser

Pat is just a few door up from me. An absolute gentleman. Lived for Athletics. Was asking him the ither day when did he think the Raheny 2 mile series might return. Very sad. RIP

MonkieSocks

As with all the posts above, Pat was a true gentleman.

Had some good races back in the day with him in the BHAA races.

Always a pleasure to talk to.

Condolences to all his family and friends.

RIP Pat

Ceepo

I ran a few Raheny league races a good few years ago. Turned up not knowing anything about them or if the were restricted to the club only. Went onto the club house where I met Pat. Right from the off he made me feel welcome, ran the race and was invited back for tea, biscuits and more tea. Prize giving and tea, then chat and tea..
I went back some time later to run the road relays where again the 1st person I met was Pat and ended up chatting like we were old friends.
Absolute gent of a man.
I huge loss to the running community RIP

Below is nice tribute to Pat..

https://m.facebook.com/groups/726449857879510?view=permalink&id=918075948716899

diego_b

Such terribly sad news, a mutual colleague messaged me on Friday evening with the news and I was just stunned and shed quite a few tears about it. I worked with Pat early in my career through work experience and summer work in 2002-2004. He was always very good to me back then and have kept contact since then, most especially since taking up running in 2013. I used to love meeting up with him either in Raheny at the 5 miler or at the expo for DCM or the finish line of marathon and he never short on encouragement of which I always appreciated but was a bit embarrassed to be honest given the runner he was.
He will be sorely missed by all, my deepest sympathies to his family and Raheny Shamrock as on their sad loss.

walshb

68 is not old, but not young either....very sad....by all accounts a real down to earth sound man...

Used to watch his younger brother around Killester when the Dublin marathon passed through...

morceli

RIP Pat. Great man and always giving of his time , was a great supporter and help to Boards AC when we set up. Was always available to answer calls and questions and when the application came to the county board he supported it. Will have to make a return to the mind week series in Raheny once things get back to normal .

John_Rambo

Huge crowd lining the streets pounded by runners to give Pat a nice send off yesterday. Young & old wearing the Raheny green mixed with colours from clubs from all around the country. Fair play to the athletic community, the family looked genuinely impressed, some were waving appreciably and one of the younger ones recording on a phone. I'm sure it meant a lot to them.

Duanington

Its been said already but Pat is such a huge loss to Raheny, Dublin Athletics, Irish Athletics and to the local area around Raheny\Clontarf.

I've lots of personal memories of the great man, such a selfless, humble human who didn't wait to be asked for advice, you got it whether or not you wanted it.

When we got the news, I was immediately reminded of the Leinster Intermediates in Gowran in 2019, there was 35, maybe 40 people running at a push. I was close to the end of a tough marathon block so wasn't exactly running full of gusto but remember distinctly the shouts of encouragement from Pat on the way around, I was in no-man's land with a lap to go but he had me believing that I would catch a few .....he demanded it really.

I hung on to score and to medal but I will never forget how genuinely proud Pat was standing in the lashing rain in that mucky field afterwards, congratulating everyone in sight but taking real delight in handing out medals to the few lads in green and white. It meant so much to him and he told us as much. This Olympian, National Marathon Champion who could be forgiven for rolling his eyes at the standard of "athletes" in front of him was grinning ear to ear and hugging anyone in green, you got a sense of the man at that moment, our sport meant so much to him, regardless of club singlet but Raheny really meant everything to him

An incredible man who leaves a void in so many lives.

RIP

Murph_D

Well said, D, that sums him up perfectly.