A well-known and active figure in the community, who had been a well-known businessman prior to retirement, Patrick (Packie) Scallon, originally of Irvinestown, passed away peacefully at his home on the shores of Lough Erne, Enniskillen, on August 17, 2015, at the age of 95. Late of Carrickreagh, he had enjoyed good health throughout his life until recently.

Born in Moynaghan North, Irvinestown, in 1920, he was the eldest of 15 children of the late John James Scallon and Catherine Scallon (nee McGoldrick) of Rossinan, Killadeas.

Packie was educated at Coolaness National School, the Boys’ Primary School Irvinestown and later at St Macartan’s, Monaghan before joining the family firm in the early 1930s.

He married Moira (nee Cassidy) in 1948. They had eight children and lived a rich and full life together for the 61 years before Moira’s death in 2009. In latter years Packie often recounted stories of their courtship, with particular fondness for the dances and the great ‘big bands’ they experienced together in the late thirties and forties.

JJ Scallon and Sons Ltd was founded by John James in the 1920s at Coolaness, Irvinestown. The business first operated from Drogan Quarry (1920) just outside Irvinestown. By 1928 the company’s quarry was at Clabby and there was a fleet of up to 29 horses and carts at that stage. On the introduction of motorised transport in 1928, the company acquired two Model T Ford trucks.

Subsequently JJ Scallon and Sons moved to two other quarries, one at Carn (1940) outside Irvinestown and another at Crieve (1947) near Fivemiletown, both of which were engaged in producing aggregates, making concrete blocks, ready mixed concrete and producing tarmac.

When John James died in a tragic motor accident in July 1955, Packie took over the running of the family business with the help of his brothers. With Packie at the helm, JJ Scallon and Sons engaged in a wide range of building, contracting and engineering works on both sides of the border, becoming one of the leading independent contracting and quarry operators in Ireland for the best part of 50 years. At one time, the company provided employment for up to 250 people all of whom, by their loyalty, contributed to the success of the business and helped to bring prosperity and growth to Fermanagh and beyond.

The company was subsequently involved in 10 individual quarry operations in the counties of Fermanagh, Tyrone, Down, Louth, Dublin and Meath. In 1957 the company was awarded the first of many major road construction projects - a contract for the main A5 Ballygawley to Omagh road, with 14 miles of this road being constructed between 1957 to 65. Other major contracts followed including, between 1962 to 67, the A4 Augher to Fivemiletown road, and the Brookeborough road through the Clogher Valley which is the main Enniskillen to Belfast route. In 1965 a five mile major road construction contract was completed for Donegal Co. Council - the Donegal to Ballybofey road at Barnsmore Gap. Other major contracts included the Groomsport to Donaghadee road and the A24 road from Dundrum to Newcastle for Down Co. Council, both in 1967. At this time the company had a fleet of over 38 trucks on the road such was the level of business along with earth moving scrapers, bulldozers, dump trucks and other ancillary equipment.

In 1969 the company was awarded another prestigious four mile contract - the N1 main Dublin to Belfast road from Monasterboice to Drogheda. The contract was finished six months ahead of schedule and used the innovative “Lean Mixed Concrete” base course material, with tarmac road surfacing.

Other notable JJ Scallon and Sons’ projects included the roads to and on the Boa Island (1937 to 43); the reconstruction of Letterkenny main street and associated waterworks (1937); the roads around the RAF and US Forces bases at Castle Archdale and Killadeas during and after the Second World War (1944 to 45) - during this time Packie’s father John James, in response to a request from the Church of Ireland in Irvinestown, arranged for men and equipment to be made available to dig graves through the rocky terrain in their graveyard so that the bodies of deceased airmen could be laid to rest. After the war the construction of Cleenish Bridge over the river Erne (1957) and the new GAA pitch in Irvinestown (1970) were other local projects completed by JJ Scallon and Sons Ltd.

In the early 1970s Packie was also a founding member of Breton Ulster, a producer of an innovative Canadian Pre-stressed Concrete Flooring based beside Crieve quarry in Fivemiletown.

In 1972 to 1974 the company entered the private housing development market at Balbriggan, North Co.Dublin and built over 200 houses there for the expanding Dublin market. A further luxury private housing development was also built on the Dublin road in Drogheda Co. Meath.

In 1973 to 1975 the company built the private and prestigious Thornhill Georgian style development of town houses and apartments on the Malone Road in Belfast, one of the first of its kind in the city.

In 1977, extensive quarrying operation was opened at Duleek, Co. Meath, which supplied the Louth, Meath, and Dublin County Councils, as well as the private construction and the agricultural market sectors. Major works included the supply of all the stone into the foundations of the ILAC Shopping Centre in Dublin’s Henry Street (1977) and the major road construction job, supply of stone and the supplying and laying of the asphalt and tarmac at the new IDA Industrial Estate at Clonshaugh in Dublin (1978).

Over the years, Packie also led the expansion of JJ Scallon and Sons into other areas of commerce, assisting his brothers and sisters to diversify into businesses of their own. These included a dairy farm at Coolaness, the Adelphi cinema and a large Supermarket/Furniture/Hardware shop in Main Street Irvinestown, the Imperial Hotel and the Ardmore Hotel in Newry, and the construction of a truck, plant and machinery depot for Equipment Sales Ltd in Omagh.

In tandem with being an industry leader, with a full family life, Packie was an active contributor to his community. His charity work included being a member of Enniskillen Rotary Club in the mid sixties and for several years acting as Chairman of the Fermanagh Handicap Association. He also served on the Board of The Erne Hospital and was involved in many cross-community projects.

His personal interests included membership of Enniskillen Flying Club at St. Angelo, the Lough Erne Yacht Club and the Bundoran Golf Club where he was a keen golfer. He enjoyed boating on the lake with his family when they were growing up. He was a regular follower of the North West and Ulster Grand Prix, the Dundrod motorcycle races and the F1 Grand Prix as well as avidly following the Irish car rallying scene. Indeed, for several years in the late 1970s there were very enjoyable family trips to Killarney to watch the Circuit of Ireland Rally. Packie’s main love was GAA football, which he enjoyed right up to the end of his life, proudly watching Fermanagh play Dublin in their recent visit to Croke Park!

Packie was a man of very strong faith who regularly attended his parish church, the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Monea and the Graan Monastery. His strong faith sustained him through the good and difficult times during his life and in his short illness. During his illness he was attended to by the Rev. Fr. Kevin Scallon CM, the Rev. Fr Jimmy Mc Phillips PP, the Rev. Fr. Brian D’Arcy CP, the Rev. Fr Seamus Quinn PP, the Rev. Fr. Joe McVeigh CC, the Rev. Fr. Michael McGourty PP and the Rev. Fr. Augustine CP. The tremendous medical care he received has also been acknowledged.

An active and very independent figure, Packie held a very positive outlook on life. Everyone commented on ‘what a gentleman he was.’ Packie was a deeply respected friend, advisor and mentor to many.

Packie’s funeral mass took place on Wednesday, August 19, 2015 at the Church of the Sacred Heart, Irvinestown. The mass was concelebrated by the Rev. Fr. Kevin Scallon CM, the Rev. Fr. Paschal Scallon CM, the Rev. Fr. Jimmy McPhillips PP and the Rev. Fr. Pat Scanlan. Family members were involved in the service. The soloist was Helen Hamill. The Mass was followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery. St. Fanchea’s College provided a guard of honour.

Home and family were very important to Packie, who was predeceased by his wife Moira and daughter Josephine. He is survived by seven of his eight children – Colette, John, Brenda, Carmel, Mark, Bronagh and Ciara, two remaining sisters Mary and Bernadette, seven remaining brothers Michael, Gerald, Colm, Fr. Kevin, Oliver, Brendan and Damien and five grandchildren Gavin, Emma, Brian, Owen and Oscar. His generous, humble and loving presence will be sadly missed by all who knew him.

The funeral arrangements were by Funeral Director Jim Barnett, Irvinestown.