Downpatrick mourns loss of respected businessman

Downpatrick mourns loss of respected businessman

18 January 2017

ONE of Downpatrick’s leading businessmen has died.

Mr Malachy McGrady — who was affectionately known as MB and an accountant by profession — passed away at his home at The Meadows on Monday night. He was 90.

A strong family man, he was deeply committed to the local community and was very much held in high esteem by all who knew him. Mr McGrady was also a man of sound Christian principles and was a Knight Commander of the Papal Order of St Gregory the Great — an honour granted in 1995 in recognition of his public service.

In the late 1950s, along with his brother Eddie, the former MP for South Down, Mr McGrady established a highly successful chartered accountancy practice, MB McGrady & Co, now situated in St Patrick’s Avenue in Downpatrick.

Widely regarded as a selfless public servant, Mr McGrady served on the Eastern Health Board and was the organisation’s vice-chairman for four years, strongly defending local hospital services. In addition, he served as the only lay member on the General Medical Council for 10 years.

Mr McGrady is a former chairman of the Downe Hospitals Committee – that oversaw the running of three local hospitals – and a former chairman of the Northern Ireland Central Services Agency. He was also vice-chairman of the old Northern Ireland Hospitals Authority.

Mr McGrady and his wife Colette, who were parents to six children, Fionnuala, Aisling, Fintan, Feargal, Declan and Malachy, took great fulfilment and satisfaction from voluntary public service and forging friendships and relationships across all traditions and denominations.

He was someone who got tremendous satisfaction from giving help and advice to people right across the community.

In the mid-1990s, not long after his retirement, Mr McGrady suffered a stroke, but it did not prevent him at the age of 78 indulging his love for all things Irish by studying for a diploma in Irish language at the University of Ulster at Jordanstown and securing a commendation, the only one in the class to do so.

A Pioneer and very proud of his Irish identity, Mr McGrady was the eighth of 11 children of a merchant tailor and a nurse and attended St Patrick’s Grammar School.

He played a key role in helping St Patrick’s Parish build a new transept in 1993 and was a key figure in helping establish the Down County Museum and the Russell Gaelic Union. He was a member of the Lecale and Downe Historical Society and served as chairman of the first Downpatrick Pastoral Council.

South Down MP Margaret Ritchie said it was with a “deep sense of sadness” she learnt of Mr McGrady’s passing.

“Malachy was a deeply devout person of sober and sound Christian principles who had an abiding love for Downpatrick and Lecale. A strong family man, he had a deep understanding and commitment to the local community,” said the MP.

“Malachy, motivated by that need for social justice, had a deep sense and desire to improve and develop the local community. He was involved for several years in Thomas Russell Gaelic Union in an administrative capacity and was a former member and vice-chairman of the Eastern Health Board.”

Miss Ritchie said in the early 1980s, Mr McGrady was continually fighting for a new hospital in Downpatrick and retention of services at the Downe. She described him as a committed Irish Language enthusiast and a man of considerable principle.”

The MP added: “To his devoted widow, Colette, daughters Fionnuala and Aisling and sons Fintan, Fr Feargal, Declan and Malachy and his beloved sister Marie, I offer my deepest sympathies and condolences on my own behalf and that of the wider community.

Mr McGrady’s remains will leave his home at 11.15am tomorrow morning for a funeral service at St Patrick’s Church in Downpatrick at noon when his son Fr Feargal will be the main concelebrant.