Anthony McDonald RIP

[Warbonnet]

Hi everyone,

Last night I was informed of the sad passing of Anthony McDonald after a short illness. I’m sure some of you know Anthony very well from his role with the IRRS and was a regular stall holder at exhibitions and swap meets where he would bring his good humour and happy go lucky demeanour to us all.
 

He also provided IRM with vital research information on the A Class and other projects and was a member of this forum. Our thoughts are with his wife and young family. Sad news indeed.

Many thanks,

Fran

[murrayec]

Oh my, very sad news

I know Anthony very well and is most helpful & friendly in all enquiries and friendship....

My thoughts are also with his wife and family

Eoin

[DoctorPan]

Oh wow, very unexpected news to see this afternoon. Anthony was always a friendly face to anyone interacting with the IRRS. Thoughts are with his wife and family.

[hurricanemk1c]

That is very sad news indeed, may he rest in peace and my condolences to his family who I know well through the IRRS. Always a lively chap

[jhb171achill]

Oh, that is truly ghastly - a very tragic loss indeed to us, to the IRRS and to his family.

Anthony, you were an absolute gentleman, and always super-helpful with any IRRS queries I had.

Rest in Peace.

[Galteemore]

Really sorry to hear this. Prayers and sympathy for his family at this dreadful time.

[mphoey]

had been informed last night and its still hard to believe

[josefstadt]

Terribly sad news. Anthony was always so friendly and helpful with everyone he dealt with.  My thoughts and condolences to his family and friends at this sad time. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

[WRENNEIRE]

Frightening news, Anthony was a relatively young man, larger than life, terrible news to wake up to this morning. He was a regular attendee at the Bray Wheelers event and will be sadly missed by all the customers and stall holders alike. He had a great interest in the older Lima/Hornby models
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dhilis. 

 

[Midland Man]

Unfortunately I did not know him very well. I find it more sad that his friends will be unable to go to his funeral. Very sad a large lost to the hobby and the society.

MM

[fishplate7]

That is terribly sad news indeed! My thoughts and prayers are with his wife and family at this very sad time. Ar dheis De go raimh a anam dhilis.  

[NIRCLASS80]

Very sad. Sympathy to all his family and friends at this time. 

[leslie10646]

It’s impossible to do justice in a few words to Anthony’s memory. A guy who lived a half century of life to the full – in fact you might say he crammed two half centuries of life into one.

The word enthusiastic was made for him - for when he was on a favoured topic, not only his eyes, but his whole being lit up with his passion for the subject.

Some of you will know that Anthony acted as Provincial Wagons agent in Dublin, attending the last two Wexford Easter exhibitions on my behalf.

He also built a large number of wagons from my kits for clients who wanted a RTR version.  If you’ve got one of those, treasure it, for he was a master modeller, as well as a really great guy.

Richard, who has been digitising the IRRS drawings archive, has lost an able and helpful assistant. We can both testify to how a request turned into speedy action and useful results – we just had to ask! If he didn’t know something, he knew someone who did! When I said “PALVan” to him, he arrived in England a month ago with thirty pages of drawings, photos and details.

A man of many parts - from his younger days in England  (he was no stranger to the House of Commons, no-less); a really serious cyclist; very involved in Scouting; a first aider; a very competent engineer with an eye and enthusiasm for detail and getting things just right; skills he demonstrated anew in smaller scales. Shamrock Rovers has lost a passionate supporter, the President will have to cheer louder in future.

But most of all he will be dreadfully missed by his wife Lorna, Caoimhe, Oisin and little Fainne (pictured with her Daddy at Wexford in 2018), to whom all our love and sympathy is showered at this very sad time.

Pax tecum, noster amice

Leslie McAllister and Richard McLachlan

 

 

[leslie10646]

We've found a much better picture of Anthony, on the happy occasion of the IRRS 70th Anniversary meeting at the Irish Embassy in London. The Society will miss him as much as his close friends. Best to remember him with that smile on his face?

 

Edited April 20, 2020 by leslie10646

[Georgeconna]

Very Sad news indeed, I only knew him from the Exhibitions , It must be a hard blow to the family too losing someone that young and energetic.

Sympathy to all his family and friends..RIP

 

 

[RedRich]

Very sad news.

RIP.

[h gricer]

Very sad, Tuesday nights at the IRRS will be a quieter place, Anthony was very much into drawings and diagrams, he was delighted when I gave a set of De Dietrich coach drawings into the IRRS last year, one man's surplus is another man's treasure, hard work trying to keep one's photos in place, and no space for diagrams, a young man taken too soon. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dhilis.

Regards

hg

 

 

[enniscorthyman]

Very sad news.

RIP.

[hurricanemk1c]

Among the many things Anthony did was give copies of the Red Brick Building plans back to IÉ (the originals are stored in the IRRS), as part of the drive to digitise their archives. Gives new meaning to them every time I'll use the main entrance

[irishthump]

Terrible news. Didn't know him personally but I know his face from the exhibitions. RIP.

[Eiretrains]

It's been such a shock the news of Anthony’s sudden and unexpected passing. Anthony was the first person I met and spoke to when I first attended the IRRS’s well known Tuesday ‘Library Night’, more than 10 years ago now. For newcomers, the IRRS can be very daunting, but Anthony welcomed me with great enthusiasm, he being warm, sincere and friendly, for which many people can no doubt testify. You could chat to Anthony on any railway or transport subject, no matter how obscure or broad the subject was. I vividly remember he was thrilled to speak to me and about my ‘eiretrains’ website, so much so he spoke that very evening to senior IRRS personnel, suggesting to them I might be worth becoming involved in the society. This kind gesture of Anthony’s, so typically of him, subsequently led to me to have many fulfilling years in the IRRS, the majority of which I had the pleasure of spending with Anthony volunteering in the archives, as well as travelling together on railtours, Society outings and a few memorable ‘chases’, of which now I wish we might have had more of, not to mention soccer matches (he Rovers, I Bohs).

I find it hard to believe it was just this time last year Anthony and myself welcomed the All-The-Stations duo Vicki and Geoff to the IRRS premises. We’d been let down by other documentary and TV people before, but not this time, they did us proud; Anthony was brilliant and we both beamed with pride as we showcased the mammoth task that is preserving the historical archives and library that makes the IRRS. It was something we both wanted to achieve so much. Many of the positive things in the IRRS often come about because of individual initiatives and sacrifices the tiny number of volunteers undertake (and I mean tiny). It’s the sort of stuff that’s hardly documentary and not often appreciated, particularly when only the ‘end product’ is visible. Anthony was one of these volunteers, who gave freely countless hours to the Society, promoting the work of the IRRS, improving its image and saving innumerable quantity of historical records of all formats for well over 10 years. He gave me great support and encouragement and his loss to us will be particularly hard, but even more so for his wonderful family, whose heart I feel for the most at this present time.

May he Rest in Peace.

With his son Oisín, whose holding the famous IRRS headboard (made of letters from Greenore signal cabin), on the August 2017 IRRS railtour, and below, the friendly smile and wave enjoying the IRRS 80 Class railtour in 2011.

Edited April 27, 2020 by Eiretrains

[Irishrailwayman]

On 4/20/2020 at 12:50 PM, leslie10646 said:

It’s impossible to do justice in a few words to Anthony’s memory. A guy who lived a half century of life to the full – in fact you might say he crammed two half centuries of life into one.

 

The word enthusiastic was made for him - for when he was on a favoured topic, not only his eyes, but his whole being lit up with his passion for the subject.

 

Some of you will know that Anthony acted as Provincial Wagons agent in Dublin, attending the last two Wexford Easter exhibitions on my behalf.

 

He also built a large number of wagons from my kits for clients who wanted a RTR version.  If you’ve got one of those, treasure it, for he was a master modeller, as well as a really great guy.

 

Richard, who has been digitising the IRRS drawings archive, has lost an able and helpful assistant. We can both testify to how a request turned into speedy action and useful results – we just had to ask! If he didn’t know something, he knew someone who did! When I said “PALVan” to him, he arrived in England a month ago with thirty pages of drawings, photos and details.

 

A man of many parts - from his younger days in England  (he was no stranger to the House of Commons, no-less); a really serious cyclist; very involved in Scouting; a first aider; a very competent engineer with an eye and enthusiasm for detail and getting things just right; skills he demonstrated anew in smaller scales. Shamrock Rovers has lost a passionate supporter, the President will have to cheer louder in future.

 

But most of all he will be dreadfully missed by his wife Lorna, Caoimhe, Oisin and little Fainne (pictured with her Daddy at Wexford in 2018), to whom all our love and sympathy is showered at this very sad time.

 

Pax tecum, noster amice

 

Leslie McAllister and Richard McLachlan

 

 

 

 

 

So sorry to hear Anthony made a great contribution to the Wexford MRC's Exhibitions. He will be missed. Rest in peace.

[DSERetc]

I am very saddened by the news of Anthony's tragic death.  He was one of the smiling faces greeting us at the IRRS meetings. About two years ago, at a Tuesday night meeting I asked him if he could get me copies of some drawings.   I expected him to say that he would have them for me next Tuesday.  Instead he said wait there and within twenty minutes he was back with the copies and a big smile.   He will be greatly missed.  

Sincere sympathy to his wife and children.

etc

[Dave]

Truly shocked and saddened to hear of Anthony's passing. Such a nice guy. He will be greatly missed.