A week on from emerging as symbol of hope in the fight against Covid-19, Paddy Joe Lynch and family thank people for amazing support
By Paul Healy
When Paddy Joe Lynch went for a walk around his sun-kissed garden with his daughter Nicola earlier this week, it must have felt like he had received a new lease of life. Which he has.
Paddy made national and international headlines last week, much to his bemusement, you suspect. “I’m not one for the limelight” Paddy told the Roscommon People on Wednesday.
But when Paddy’s granddaughter Anne Tiernan – bursting with pride – put a post on Facebook about her uncle’s recovery from Covid-19, the resulting good news story was just what the nation needed.
Paddy is an 82-year-old native of Ballinameen, Boyle, Co. Roscommon. A father of seven, his wife, Mary, passed away in 2015.
By now, most people will have heard his inspirational story. Paddy, who has underlying health issues, was hospitalised on March 21st. He tested positive for Covid-19. Given his age, and those underlying health factors, it was a deeply worrying situation for Paddy and his family.
“To be honest, I feared the worst” Paddy says.
But Paddy rallied, and, helped by the “wonderful” staff of Sligo University Hospital, he was discharged after ten days…emerging as a great symbol of hope at this time of uncertainty. Paddy was billed as the 82-year-old who ‘beat’ Covid-19. Lots of people of his age and older will beat it too (if they contract it), but Paddy’s story was particularly timely, heartwarming and undoubtedly inspirational.
I spoke with Paddy and his daughter Nicola on Wednesday.
Paddy is getting stronger day and day, his appetite returning. “I’m in good form” he reported, “I’m beginning to eat a bit more every day!”
A keen gardener, he is now taking a daily walk in his garden and around his house, at Doneen, Ballinameen.
Nicola was upbeat about her dad’s recovery, and overwhelmed by the response the family has received.
“People have been wonderful. We have been inundated with cards, many of them from people we don’t know at all. We are getting loads of them!
“Yesterday, we went to buy a bed for Dad, to help with his breathing, as he has COPD. We were chatting to the man who was selling it, and Dad’s story came up…the man insisted on not charging for the bed, he wanted to donate it as a present!”
The media interest has been relentless. Paddy has taken it in his stride, “as long as there’s someone with me…to talk!”
Nicola says her father’s story was featured in newspapers in the UK, Poland and Switzerland, and in God knows how many other countries. Again, she emphasises how good people have been, thanking their neighbours for all their support.
Before I leave Nicola and Paddy to continue the return to normality and maybe to another walk in the Wednesday afternoon sunshine, I have another word with the man himself.
It’s clear that, despite those health issues, he’s a very active man for his age. Still driving, still doing a bit of work as a caretaker at two local schools (Ballinameen and Kingsland).
Most of his working life was spent in the building trade. In retirement, he’s indulged his many hobbies, including reading, writing and gardening. (He writes poetry when he gets a chance, and will read “any type of a book” – most recently he read Mick Clifford’s book on Sergeant Maurice McCabe).
I ask Paddy has he ever seen anything like this Covid-19 pandemic, and its worldwide impact.
“Never. Never in my life did I expect to see anything like it either. When I was in that hospital bed, I feared the worst for myself, but thanks be to God I got through it. Thank God I survived it. And we can get through it…as long as people do what’s asked of them. So my advice to people is to do what they’re told. And not to watch too much of the TV coverage!”
Before we finish our chat, Paddy wanted to thank the staff in Sligo General Hospital. “They were fantastic”.
The sun is shining again for Paddy. He’s taking it one step at a time. And he’s in good hands. He’s smiling, and wishing everyone the very best at this difficult time.