Christopher (Christy) McDAID

Dear Mirette,
So sorry to hear you have lost your beloved Christy.
We read the wonderful obituary in last weekends paper, and he sounded like the most amazing, cheerful, funny man.
And all the messages on these pages confirm this.
Thinking of you Mirette.
Dar and Pat

Sincerest condolences to you Mirette and all the Willow Wheelers and Christ's family and friends.

All our family enjoyed you yearly visit to Corofin every June.

Very good memories.

An exceptional guy.

Jude neylon

Sincere sympathy to Christy's family and close friends. Together as father and son we cycled with him in the Willow Wheelers some years ago. The good he did for so many young people is incalculable. What a legacy to leave! May he rest now in his eternal reward.

Sincere condolences to the McDaid family. I have been involved in the Willow Wheelers for many years and Christy has been a fantastic mentor. He has constantly helped me to get better at cycling and gave me the motivation I needed whenever I would struggle on the Sunday cycles. May he rest in peace

Sincere sympathy to Mirette and the McDaid family at this sad time. May Christy rest in peace. I never met Christy in person but spoke to him numerous times over the phone. His strength in illness, warm personality and care for others always came across in abundance.

On behalf of Zimba Youth Centre Board of management, Staff and Students, I condole with the Wheelers Charity for the great lose of your Members- Christopher McDaid.
May his great Soul rest in perfect peace, amen.

Though many years have passed since my time in 6th class at Willow Park, I remember Mr. McDaid as an inspiring figure, both in and out of school.

I recall that his lessons challenged us to think deeply and explore complex ideas, far beyond what was expected at our age. His classes introduced a framework that no doubt continues to shape my perspectives, even today.

It was on the Wheelers cycling trips - the Sunday mornings around Dublin Bay, the 100 mile cycles and those incredible trips to France - that I made lifelong friendships. Thank you Christy!

His dedication to the cycling club was a testament to his selfless generosity, raising funds that changed lives across continents.

He taught us far more than academics; he taught us the power of compassion, the importance of community, and the joy of giving back. He showed us that one person could make a world of difference.

I had a brief encounter with him a few years ago on his beloved bicycle. A hearty greeting in that distinctive deep donegal voice and instant recognition brought back those fond teenage memories.

I will always be deeply grateful for the profound impact he had on my childhood and on the lives of so many others who had the privilege of knowing him. He was a wonderful man, and will be deeply missed. Heartfelt condolences to Mirette and the McDaid family.


His legacy will live on in all of us.

Rest in peace.

Sincere condolences, may Christy rest in peace. I had the privilege of knowing Christy over the years, assisting him in a small part with the upcoming annual Willow Wheelers trips marketing material. He would call into our office, take 5 minutes to explain what he needs, then the next 55 minutes we would sit back over a coffee and I would listen to his stories of the wonderful adventures he had undertaken, and the projects that he and Willow Wheelers have helped and funded. The world was a better place with you in it. Your contributions will be remembered. RIP

Deepest Sympathy to Mirette and the McDaid family on Christy’s passing. May he rest in peace.

Sincere condolences to The Mc Daid Family. May Christy rest in peace.

I will never forget Christy's kindness,support and good humour as i set out on a long teaching career in Pres,Glasthule more than 50 years ago.I met many people who knew him over the years,and all were of one voice" some man for one man".May he rest in eternal peace.

I have had the privilege of knowing Christy for over twenty years. Through the Willow Wheelers, he made a profound impact on the lives of many in East Pokot, Kenya. Over the past decade, his dedication was instrumental in the construction of the new church in Rotu—an achievement that would not have been possible without his commitment.

Beyond this, Christy was deeply passionate about education, particularly for girls. Thanks to his leadership, the Wheelers now fund three girls from Rotu to attend the polytechnic in Sultan Hamud. His support extended even further, contributing to road maintenance projects and our emergency food relief programmes.

Christy’s kindness, vision, and unwavering support have made a lasting difference to some of the poorest communities in Kenya. His loss is deeply felt, and I will personally miss him greatly. My heartfelt condolences go out to his family. In his honour, I will offer a special Mass at the church in Rotu. His legacy will continue to inspire and uplift many for years to come.

In 2019, thanks to Christy’s initiative and generous heart, Willow Wheelers purchased 12 computers for our students to see and touch, and to learn computer studies. In 2021, Willow Wheelers donated 2 large water tanks to help us harvest and store rainwater for use in the dry season. May Christy’s gentle soul rest in peace. He will live forever in our hearts!”

Sr. Kaki Tamba, MSHR (On behalf of the Sisters, students and staff of Sagure Catholic school, Ethiopia).

I am deeply saddened to hear of Christy McDaid’s passing. He was not only a wonderful teacher who left a lasting impression on so many of us but also a true inspiration through his incredible charity work with the Willow Wheelers. His dedication, kindness, and passion for helping others were evident in everything he did.

I will always cherish the memories of the fun and lighthearted interactions I had with him over the years—his quick wit, warm personality, and unwavering encouragement made every encounter special.

My heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends, and all those who had the privilege of knowing him. May he rest in peace.

As one of your past pupils in Pres Glasthule, I remember fondly how you taught and befriended your class. With chalk flying and trips up front to Alcatraz it was never dull.
You also took many of us from footpath to the roads cycling, instilling many life lessons along the way.
Meeting you over the years since was always a pleasure and we had good fun reminiscing many of those memories…
You were one of the good guys Christy… Well done..
RIP

I'd like to express my sincere condolences.
May the Good Lord accept him in his Kingdom and grant him the rest he so deserves.

Deepest sympathy to Mirette and the McDaid family on the sad passing of Christy. We will always remember his good humour and inspirational skills in raising charitable funds and establishing the Willow Wheelers. His positive influence on our son and his friends will never be forgotten. Rest in Peace Christy. 🕊️

Deepest sympathy to the friends and family of Christy ,I spent 5 years with him as a boarder in St Macartans College,Monaghan,and have fond memories of him ,his sense of fun and devilment helped us along the way. Go ndeana Dia trocaire ar a anam dilìs

I will always remember Christy as a kind and encouraging person.

Deepest sympathy to Christy's relatives and friends. May he rest in peace

Sincere condolences, may Christopher rest in peace, a great racconteur and friend for many, many years. Aufwiedersehen!

Christy will be truly missed, he was one of the good guys. RIP Christy and condolences to your family and friends.

I was a student at Presentation College in Glasthule in the 1980s, and 'Mr. McDaid' was a respected and loved teacher. His cycling trips at the weekend and tinwhistle lessons are always fond memories. My condolences to his family.

It was with great sadness that we heard of Christy’s passing. It was a privilege and honour to know Christy through the Willow Wheelers, its inspirational founder and leader. He gave so much to so many others at home and abroad. We offer our deepest sympathy to Mirette and the extended McDaid family.

Dear Mirette, my heartfelt condolences to you, Christy’s extended family and his wide circle of friends from all over the world.
Willow Wheelers is Christy’s legacy, cycling, fun, fundraising and community. My three boys are very privileged to have been part of that posse. Harry’s class of 2016 Willow graduation book sums it up “we were as fast as the back man cycling, never giving up, thriving to be the best we could be”.
Thank you Christy, 2 generations of children with civic awareness on a global scale is some achievement.
May you Rest in Peace

Our deepest condolences to Mirette, the extended McDaid family and all those who mourn Christy's passing. He was a wonderfully kind, caring and charitable person.
Christy's commemorative mass this morning was indeed a fitting tribute to a much loved man. Rest in peace Christy and thank you for all you have done for others.

Aoife, Declan and family.

Sincere condolences to Mirette and extended Mc Daid family on your very sad loss.
Rest in peace Christy 🙏

Condolences to Mirette and McDaid family . Christy was a very kind and helpful neighbour and will be missed in Rathmichael .
RIP
Paul & Valerie
No 14

Sincere sympathy to Mirette and the extended McDaid family on the sad passing of Christe.May he rest in peace.

I was sad to hear about Christy's passing. He was a wonderful teacher, mentor and leader of the Willow Wheelers. A formative time in my life with the Willow Wheelers, traveling around Europe and to The Gambia and with many of my now life long friends, we owe Christy so much for those gifts.
May he rest in peace.

Deepest condolences to Mirette, the McDaid family and Christy's good friend, Thomas, on the passing of a gentle and loving soul. May he rest in peace.

Sorry I can’t get to the mass as I am Paris . Have not met Christy for many years but I still remember all those Sunday cycles and those away trips to France and the Netherlands. All those pints of lemonade. Mirette and family my condolences

Deepest sympathy to Mirette and the extended McDaid family. May Christopher rest in peace.

May Christy rest in peace, our deepest sympathy Mirette and to all his close friends. He was a gentleman with a passion for cycling and so charitable. He spread his love of the wheels to all he came in contact with. Always a pleasure to be in his company. We are grateful for Christy, for what he started and gave to us all, he will forever be in our memories.

Deepest sympathy Mirette from us all. The world is a much poorer place with Christy gone from us but we were lucky enough to share part of our lives with Christy and were so blessed to do so.
Love from us all. The Condons.

Deepest sympathy to Mirette and to the extended Mc Daid family. .on your very sad loss .Knew himself and Fr.Liam since going to primary school in Bundoran .Reunited in heaven.Rip.

Mirette thinking of you at this very sad time.

Christy thank you for the memories, the fun and the friendships you created through The Wheelers. You will always be a legend

Dear Mirette we were so saddened to hear the sad news of Christopher’s passing and send this message to offer our sincere condolences to you and all 🙏We are sorry that we cannot attend the funeral but will watch the funeral online and pay our deepest respects for both funeral services. Christy was a true gentleman and we were very fond of him. It is comforting to know he is now reunited with his dear brother Liam and the rest of the family. God bless and please God we will be in touch after the funeral…our prayers and thoughts are with you today and Monday. God bless 🙏xx

So sorry to hear of Christy’s passing. A great character and full of fun. He did so much good in establishing the Willow Wheelers. May he rest in peace.

Mr. McDaid was the best teacher I ever had, by a long shot. Fun. Caring. Interesting. He brought everyone along for the ride and if you didn’t want to get onboard you’d see a piece of chalk flying through the air towards you. He treated everyone with respect and ran a true meritocracy (holiday camp, factory, hospital; debits and credits!). He shaped the lives of so many young people. May he rest in peace.

My heartfelt condolences to Mirette on a loss of dear Christy McDaid. RIP May his soul rest in eternal peace.🙏

Sincere condolences to Mirette and the extended family on the death of Christy, a true gentleman.

Christy's actions in life spoke volumes. Well do I remember the many after-school hours he devoted to us 6th Class pupils in Pres. Glasthule, teaching us proper road etiquette in 'Cycle School'. The love of cycling was at his core and I have fond memories of our first big road trips away from home as youngsters on overnight charity cycles for Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann in the early 1980s.

All of his pupils had a great affection for Christy, he played a massively positive role in the shaping of many young characters. He had utter command of his classroom, not through fear - but through the respect and humour he modeled to us so seamlessly each day. That said, the odd duster was known to fly through the air every now and again!

Meeting him occasionally in the years after leaving school was always a pleasure, still the same old Críostóir, a friendly greeting, a smile on the face and a genuine interest in how you were getting on in life. His dedication and devotion to his pupils endured till the end. He will live on fondly in the hearts and minds of all of them for a long time to come.

As for the jellybeans - 'Et tu, Brute'!
Godspeed 'Sir'.

Christy, my year St Macartan's RIP.

I'm devastated to see Christy is no longer with us, he was an incredible leader and character, in equal measure. We need more people like him, but it feels as though we get less and less. Inimitable and irreplaceable, the guy was such an inspiration, no doubt about that. Ar lamh dheis De go raibh a anam

Christy - a true legend. You touched so many lives. Rest in Peace

Like many of us x pupils he will be greatly missed. I used to love meeting him out having a nice relaxing pint. May he rest well.

Sincere condolences to Mirette & McDaid family on the passing of Christy . Christy made the lives of many students in Willow Park & Blackrock College happier & more meaningful. May he rest in peace

It was our pleasure to become acquainted with Christy and Mirette in McKenna's pub in Dun Laoghaire.
Christy and Mirette always had time for a chat and we loved hearing their tales of their cycling adventures for which they are much to be admired.
Christy will be missed in McKenna's and by myself and Ciara and our hearts go out to Mirette.
May he Rest In Peace.

A legend, a character, a great teacher & a unique human being! Rest well Christy you will be missed & remembered.

My sincere condolences to Christy's family. A fantatsic teacher, and a true gentleman. My meetings with Christy since my school days, will always be happy memories of fun and laughter. The world has lost one of the good ones, and he will be greatly missed to all that knew him.

Thank you for teaching me the value of life Christy, you will always be remembered

God bless, and sleep tight my friend

RIP

Sincere sympathies to all of Christy's friends and family, Mary Ellen and my mother, Una McSharry, Gubbacreeney, were best friends, I remember Liam and Christy as young men in Bundoran and later meeting Mary Ellen in Joe O'Neill's Ocean Bar in the 1970s and 80s. codhladh sámh i Neamh duit.

My deepest condolences on Christy's passing. A hugely influential figure who was responsible for countless friendships being formed through the cycling club along with some of the best childhood memories of trips to France. A lifelong love of cycling, some of my closest friends and core values can all be attributed to him. He leaves behind a huge legacy.

May he rest in peace.

Christy was a legend. His work with the Wheelers enriched my life and expanded my horizons during my most formative years. He leaves a massive legacy. Such great memories of those trips to France and Holland, and the Hundred Mile Cycle. Sincere condolences to Mirette.

A true force of nature, Christy will be sadly missed. He brought people together through his passion for teaching, mentoring, cycling, and fundraising for noble causes.

We offer Mirette in particular our deepest sympathy.

There are no words to say how deeply saddened I am that Christy has been taken from this lfe so soon. Christy was a volunteer with the Dun Laoghaire Christmas Day Lunch Association in the Blackrock Rugby Club for over 35 years. A man with great honour and good humour that he shared with everyone, volunteers and Lunch guests. We have all lovely memories of the many Christmas Days we shared with him , providing Christmas Day cheer to elderly and lonely people. I am happy to have known him and extremely grateful for his support and kindness.
A LIFE WELL LIVED.
REQUIESCAT IN PACA
From Margaret and all the Christmas Day Lunch Volunteers.

Sincere sympathies. Christy was a great community man and a pleasure to speak to. He leaves a proud legacy of thousands of kids and parents participating in the sport and generous contributions to support education at home and abroad. RIP

I’m extremely sorry to hear about christy’s passing, what a lovely man who will be sadly missed, thinking of Mirette at this very sad time, I’ll definitely miss our chats in Mckennas, May Christy rest in peace♥️

Countless books could be written about the lives Christy touched throughout his remarkable career as a teacher at Willow Park and as the leader and founder of the Willow Wheelers. He was a true legend.

I will be always grateful for the incredible experiences we shared, whether it was on the unforgettable journeys to Africa, Brazil, and Vietnam, or the many cycling trips to Clare and his beloved Donegal.

The friendships forged through the Willow Wheelers are a testament to the community he built, and his legacy will live on in all of us.

Christy brought us together, and he will never be forgotten.

May his kind and gentle soul rest in peace.

Great memories, Christy. Condolences to Mirette. Am sure he will be so fondly remembered and thanked by so many whom he entertained and helped over the years with the Willow Wheelers. RIP.

Very sorry to hear of Christy's passing. Sincere condolences to Mirette and his extended family. He always met you with a smile and a warm greeting. We had some good times in Bundoran in the long distant past.
May he rest in peace.