Sorrow and shock following death of Portadown native Gary Connolly 7 weeks after brain tumour diagnosis

Mr Connolly, who was a Northern Ireland soccer team super fan, died in Craigavon Hospital on Monday (October 31) aged just 55, having courageously borne the terminal diagnosis since September.

A former pupil of Moyallen Primary School, Killicomaine Junior High School and Portadown College, Gary joined the family accountancy firm in Portadown soon after leaving school.

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However, being an outdoors type, he changed direction completely and enjoyed working in the Apple growing industry

His nephew Andrew described Gary as an outgoing man, ‘always the centre of attention, very much full of life and the joys of life’.

"If you walked into a room you would have heard him before you would have seen him but he was very much family orientated and friends orientated. As long as everyone else was OK he was happy.”

Gary was very much into sport and played for Blackers Mill in the Mid Ulster Football League.

He also followed the Northern Ireland team on home and away trips and attended more than 100 away matches across the world from Costa Rica and Panama to Belarus and Estonia.

Gary’s family are heavily involved in Portadown Golf Club and he would have played up until his mid 30s returning to the golf club in the last six years and enjoyed different social events and loved the craic at the club.

Being an avid ‘Mod’ in his youth he was also part of the Hope and Glory Scooter Club and had a couple Vespa scooters.

Gary has been described as a very energetic character and really fun to be around with never a dull moment.

“He was also very caring and generous and would have gone out of his way to help you,” said Andrew. “He would never see anybody stuck.”

He was involved through various clubs including the scooter club with raising money for different charities. He enjoyed a drink in Gary’s Bar in Portadown and was involved in their annual football match each year to raise money for the Mandeville Unit at Craigavon Hospital.

Despite his diagnosis Andrew revealed that he never complained once. “He was just happy he got some extra time after his operation. He loved the garden and love to cook so once he came back home he was in the garden and cooking and back to his normal self.”

Gary is mourned by his girlfriend Ausra, his treasured parents Raymond and Stella Connolly and cherished brother Michael, sister-in-law Dawn, niece Judith and nephew Andrew as well as a legion of friends.

A funeral was held last Thursday for Mr Connolly at Knocknamuckley Parish Church with committal following in Tullylish Parish Church graveyard.

Donations for the benefit of Brainwaves NI via www.milnefuneralservices.co.uk/donate or cheques made payable to Brainwaves NI c/o Milne Funeral Services, 59 Seagoe Road, Portadown, BT63 5HS.

Tributes have been shared across social media from various clubs across Northern Ireland following the sad news of Gary’s death.

Portadown Northern Ireland Supporters Club said: “It is with great sadness that we have to share the news of the passing of our long standing member Gary Connolly.

"He has been a lifelong member of the GAWA and travelled far and near to support Our Wee Country, enjoying the craic whether it was a win, loss or draw. He truly loved being a member of our wee club and the various social gatherings, but his favourite was the Christmas Dinner with people doing a wee turn and enjoying each others story telling.

"He treasured the opportunity to share his love of the GAWA and membership of PNISC with his nephew Andrew. Our thoughts at this time go out to Raymond, Stella, Michael, Dawn, Judith, Andrew, Aušra and his circle of family and friends.”