At the funeral of husband-and-wife Paddy and Lena Costello the celebrant Fr Vincent Glynn said it was his first joint funeral. From Galway, Paddy aged 97 and Lena aged 93 passed away in April within five days of each other. Married for 68 years they were highly respected members of the local Australian-Irish community.
From their arrival in Perth in 1956 they were long time active members of the Irish club (which was founded in 1950). Paddy retired as an engineer with Perth City council in 1992. Lena had been a domestic economy teacher before coming to Australia. Paddy was instrumental in the purchase of the club premises in Townshend Road, Subiaco in 1978. Paddy and Lena each served terms as President, and both were awarded honorary life memberships of the club. They organised the annual Saint Patricks Day mass in St Joseph’s Subiaco from its inception in 1983. They organised sellout concerts of the touring Ceoltoiri Maghlocha in the Octagon Theatre in 1985 and 1995.
The AIHA awarded Paddy and Lena the Brendan Award in 2001 for their outstanding contribution to Australia’s Irish Heritage.
St Joseph’s Church in Subiaco was near full for the funeral service and eulogies from family members acknowledged the assistance they provided to Irish families though the church and community throughout their lives. The funeral was followed by a gathering in the Irish Club.
