William (Bill) ABOM

Dear Fiona and Family, we only heard today of Bills passing. Its been close to 20 Years since we met ( in Tipp ) and the World was a much nicer place back then. Now your World is in pieces, I wish you and yours strength to carry the Torch in these very challenging times. May Bill Rest in Peace. And may God give you strength and carry you through.

Bill started the below Younis case as a case officer at MRCI.

He acted for mr Younis at Rights Commissioner and after at Labour Court and obtained an award that was confirmed by Supreme Court- an exceptional win. He did seek and obtain assistance from a legal team after(including me).


The case highlighted shortcomings in Legislation and influenced subsequent reforms to ensure that migrant workers can seek legal redress even where they may be irregularly employed. 

Bill obtained also this notable advance for worker’s rights.

Which I thought should be recorded .

I am so sorry to hear he died and I offer my condolences

Our heartfelt sympathies to you Fiona, and Liam Thomas and Anna on the heartbreaking loss of Bill. May he rest in peace.

My deepest sympathy to the family of Bill. I had the privilege of getting to know Bill as my mentor in the Migrants Right Centre in 2005. Bill's heart and soul were deeply committed to the rights of the worker. I am saddened to learn that workers have lost this champion of rights.

Fiona ,Liam ,Thomas and Anna.We are so sorry to hear of Bills passing .You are in our thoughts and prayers. Martina and all the Lynch’s

Our sincere condolences to the Abom family and friends on the loss of their beloved Bill. A natural organiser without comparison, the best of what we can become. May he Rest in Peace.

Our most sincere and deepest condolences to Fiona, Liam, Thomas, Anna and the rest of his/your family and friends. Thinking of you all at this difficult time 🙏 May Bill rest in Peace. Love,

Sincere condolences to Bill’s family on his passing. Bill was a gentle, kind and highly effective man, popular with his colleagues and his opposition - a rare talent! Sending love from me and all at Rethink Ireland.

Deepest sympathies to Fiona, Liam, Thomas and Anna. Thinking of you all at this difficult time. May he rest in Peace.

Could not believe when I heard such sad news. I remember walking the fairways with Bill and he was always bursting with pride watching Anna, Liam & Thomas. Such a fantastic father and supporter of all kids. Bill will be sorely missed and our thoughts are with Fiona, Liam, Thomas & Anna. May your Dad rest in peace. Colin, Marie, John, Amelie & Alex

My deepest condolences to Fiona, Liam, Thomas, Anna, and all of Bill’s family and friends. Bill was a giant of the Irish labour movement, blessed with the most valuable of talents: integrity, commitment, courage, intelligence, and energy — all of which he used in the service of others.

He had a rare ability to connect with workers from every background, and, just as importantly, he knew how to motivate them. I learned so much from Bill, who had a beautiful and powerful way of communicating. His patience, his gift for listening, and his genuine empathy earned the trust of so many, helping them find their way in tackling inequality and fighting for justice.

I will miss him deeply. I consider myself very lucky to have worked so closely with him and to call him a friend. It’s rare to meet someone of his calibre — someone who never felt the need to talk the talk but always walked the walk. Rest easy, brother, and thank you for everything.

My sincerest condolences to Fiona , Thomas , Liam and Anna on the death of your devoted husband and father. May Bill rest in peace.

My condolences to you and your beautiful family, Fiona. I am so sorry for your loss. Bill was an absolute gentleman, kind and very determined. May his gentle soul rest peacefully in the bosom of his maker. Be comforted by the Holy Spirit🙏

My deepest condolences to Bill’s family and friends, in particular Fiona, Liam, Thomas and Anna. Bill was truly one of a kind and has left a lasting impact on all who were lucky enough to know him.

Sincere condolences to Fiona, Liam, Thomas, Anna and the extended Abom and O'Cochláin families on the passing of Bill. You are in my thoughts and prayers at this very sad time.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

My sincere condolences to Bill’s family at this terribly sad and difficult time. May he rest in peace.

My deepest condolences to Fiona, Liam, Thomas , Anna and to Bills parents . It was my privilege to work with Bill during those days,He was so passionate about working for justice and equality in our society.Thank you for all the work you've done for us,you become the voice of the voiceless and strength to the weak. You are truly a legend in our hearts. Fly in power Bill and may your soul rest in peace.

Sincerest sympathies to Bill’s family, friends and colleagues at MRCI at this incredibly sad time.

Bill was deeply committed and passionate in his advocacy, bringing a unique and thoughtful sensibility which was very effective. He will be hugely missed. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

I was very sorry to read this condolence today , I met Bill through Mandate where he gave us great support and advice in our workplace at the time , he was always a gentleman and very kind . My sincerest sympathies to Bills family and friends .

We are both so very sorry to hear about Bill's passing. We deeply admired him and his work. We also had a shared love of Donegal. Our deepest condolences to Fiona, Liam, Thomas and Anna. To his parents, brother and sister and extended family, and to all his friends and colleagues in MRCI.

Poem for Bill

You.

Heart-light heavyweight - you shimmer,
warmth washes over us.

Your energy - quiet, undeterred, disrupting.
Passion so complete - our inspiration.

A light grip, a kind word. Encouragement as essence.

But hammers swing.
A target struck.
At the right time, in the right place.
Result!

Eyes flicker and flutter - mustering strategy.

You are.

Agitator, enabler, organiser - Fearless.

Sure footed and calm,
Radiant in action,
Exquisite, in the pause of reflection.

Your shadow precedes you.
Back of centre - but leading.

Solid and unwavering.

Magical you.

Heavyweight.
Here you are.
Daring.

Our Heart-light.

You.

To Fiona, Liam, Thomas, Anna and the wider Abom family, on behalf of our union, sincere condolences to you all on the sad passing of Bill. Our thoughts are with you all at this sad and most challenging time. Bill was a true advocate for human and worker’s rights. For several years he championed the cause of those that have been marginalised and exploited within our society. Bill strived to make a difference, and he did. While Bill has left us so soon, as he climbs the ‘stairway to heaven,’ he can look back at the wonderful legacy he has left behind. His memory and actions will be an inspiration for others to assume the mantle and continue the good fight. Bill, rest in power, it has been well earned!

I am grateful that I was able to watch the funeral mass. My prayers are with you and your family. I have a good memories of Bill with the PASSIONIST and as a young man growing up in Pennsylvania.

Matthew 25:21
His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’

I was so sorry to learn of Bill's passing. I remember Bill helping organise and participate in a protest outside a major fast food chain on O'Connell Street, Dublin, to highlight the exploitation of migrant workers. It was a joy to be involved in with Bill. Lots of chanting, handing out leaflets and a bit of craic. I knew then that in Bill, workers everywhere had an ally.
Rest In Power Bill.

Sending my sincere and deepest condolences. Wish he R.I.P.

Sending our deepest condolences on the passing of Bill. Thinking of you all at this incredibly sad time. Sending lots of love. Look after each other. From: Philip, Louise, Aoife and Ciara x

Sending all our love and prayers from Doylestown to Fiona, Liam, Thomas, Anna and the entire Abom family. Our hearts ache for the loss of Billy. He was an amazing person and the perfect friend. He will forever be in our hearts. God bless you all as you celebrate his life.

Much Love - The Reimel family

My deepest sympathies to Bill’s family friends and colleagues . He was a genuine lovely man and I was so sorry to hear about his passing . May he rest in peace .

Sincerest Sympathy to Fiona, Liam,Thomas and Anna on the very sad loss of your lovely Dad.His legacy as your coach is secured in our student golf section in Edmondstown forever through all of your success and excellence over the past 10 years. We are so sorry for you all to have lost your v talented and dearest Dad so young. With deepest sympathy from all at Junior Golf, EGC.

Bill was such a light in the trade movement. He did things differently. He brought a sensibility that went beyond the surface and superficial and touched on deep connection based in respect, empathy and a deep listening that was the bedrock of trust. Everything was meaningful. He had such an impact on everyone he encountered. Many who have left messages demonstrate that we knew he was someone special and appreciated him deeply in life. I hope Bill knew that. I think he did.
We worked loosely together and I always felt a deep respect from him, not everyone in the labour movement is like that. We had some mutuals from Haiti and that consolidated our friendship. Bill just knew there were no short cuts to anything in life.
I’m devastated at his passing. It’s so unfair. His legacy is huge, his loss, immeasurable.
My deepest sympathies to Bill’s family, friends, family and all his comrades in struggle. Let his light continue to burn bright. La lucha!

My sincere condolences to Fiona, Liam, Thomas, Anna and extended family on the passing of Bill. It was always lovely meeting Bill on the fairways over the past few years supporting Anna. May he rest in peace.

My sincere condolences to Bill's family and friends on his sad passing. Thinking of you all at this difficult time.

Sincerest condolences to Fiona and Bill’s family and friends. I was very sad to hear of his passing.

I, like many others, admired his tremendous commitment to equality, justice and human dignity. He was a principled and courageous activist and organizer. From my own experience with him at the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland, I also recall him as someone who made the pursuit of social justice a fun and enjoyable experience. He had a mischievous, radical character that sparked belief and maybe a little subversion in those he encountered. His attitude was infections. Anything was possible when Bill was around. He had been involved in great union organizing efforts in the United States and he put his skills, strategies and determination to use to the profound benefit of workers throughout Ireland. He showed how even in the most marginalised and hidden of sectors, workers could come together to successfully attain their rights and claim a dignified existence.

Ireland is very fortunate that Bill chose to dedicate his energies to Ireland and to workers in this country. He certainly would have made an immeasurable contribution to any country in which he lived.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam

On behalf of the Churchtown Residents Association please accept our condolences on the loss of Bill. Thinking of his wife Fiona and children at this difficult time. Rest in Peace.

Sincere condolences to Liam, Thomas, Anna and all the Abom family on the death of Bill. May he Rest in Peace.

We were deeply saddened to hear of Bill’s untimely passing at the weekend.
To Fiona, Liam, Thomas, Anna and the extended Abom and O Cochlain families we offer our deepest sympathies at this very sad time. We are so sorry for your loss and remember you all in our thoughts and prayers.
May Bill Rest in Peace.

Sincere condolences to Bill’s family. Bill was a gentleman. He devoted his energy, compassion, and voice to ensuring dignity and justice for people who too often go unheard. May he rest in peace.

Sincere condolence to Fiona and family on the sad passing of Bill.
Bill was a champion for workers and the underprivileged. RIP Bill

My deepest sympathies to all of Bill's family on his untimely passing. I worked with Bill and he was a very gentle man. May Bill Rest In Peace

Bill was a treasured friend of my dad, Jim Schmidt. He was a great comfort when we lost him to cancer. I have many fond memories of growing up with Liam and Thomas, and am deeply saddened that his family now knows the pain of such a loss. I hope Bill and Jimmy are hitting the links together again as they watch over us.

We send our deepest condolences to Bill’s family, friends, and all who knew him. He was such a wonderful, compassionate, kind, and uplifting human. I feel very lucky to have had the chance to cross paths with him at MRCI. Rest in peace.

Sincere condolences to all Bill's family and friends. I know from experience Bill touched and improved the lives of all those he came into contact with. We are all at a loss for his absence.

Thinking of Fiona, Liam, Thomas and Anna in particular at this time.

My condolences to Bill's family and friends, especially those at MRCI

Rip William

Sincere condolences to the Abom family and friends on the loss of their beloved Bill. May he rest in peace.

I want to pass my condolences to Bill's family and friends. RIP

Deepest sympathies to Fiona, Liam, Thomas and Anna on the sad passing of Bill. A pure Gentleman. RIP
Larry and Christine O’Toole

Condolences on the passing of William

I wish to offer my sincere condolences to the family of Bill Abom, through my work I had the pleasure of seeing Bill's unwavering commitment for making things better for others, his kindness, humility and genuine sense of fairness brought equality and dignity to people every day. There a few in this world who make such a difference, Bill did. I hope in time the memories of Bill will bring his family strength to endure the devastating loss and may Bill's Gentle Soul Rest in Peace.

Dear Fiona, Thomas, Liam, Anna, Bill’s parents n extended families, friends n colleagues - our sincere condolences for your loss of Bill RIP.
Beautiful heartfelt messages have been written about Bill - his character, his passion for people n how he worked to get others a better n fair life.
Just want to add to these words, of Fiona n Bill’s kindness to our family at No.36.
They and their lovely children kept an eye on Mam n Dad as they got older n always had time for a chat as we dropped by - wonderful, kind neighbours - thank you.

Hozo n Susan (Conway) Holland

My deepest sympathies to Bill's family, friends and comrades on his passing. Bill was an absolute inspiration to me and many others during his time in Mandate.
May he rest in peace

Sincere condolences to Bill's family, friends and colleagues on his sad passing. Emma and the team at EMN Ireland.

We are absolutely heart broken to hear that Bill has passed away. We are thinking of Fiona and their three beautiful children at this incredibly difficult time. Just so sorry for your loss. Tina, Jarlath and Mikey Regan.

Dear Fiona, Liam, Thomas, Anna and extended family; my deepest condolences on the untimely passing of Bill. It is impossible for me to think of Bill without a smile, always full of warmth and kindness. A heartbreaking loss for all who had the pleasure of knowing him. Please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time.

Dear Fiona, Liam, Thomas and Anna, our heartfelt sympathies to you and to all of Bill's wider family and friends. I was always so impressed by Bill and his work and attitude. He was an inspiration, and will be missed by so many but has made his mark on so many. RIP Bill.

Fiona, Liam, Thomas and Anna, I cannot imagine the heartbreak at losing Bill at such a young age. My thoughts and reflections are for a beautiful man who has been a role model for his family and every person he came in contact with. He will be sorely missed in the world. May he rest in Peace and May you find solace in the love of family and friends at this sad time.

To Fiona, Liam, Thomas and Anna, all of Bill's wider family, and all who worked with Bill in MRCl over the years, so sorry to hear the sad news of Bill's passing. He was a special man who touched so many in his wonderful way. May he rest in peace.

My deepest condolences to Bill's family, friends and colleagues on his passing. I hope you get some comfort from the beautiful tributes that have been left for him - they clearly show the positive impact he had on people's lives; and the society he fought to improve every day.

Rest in peace, Bill.

To Fiona and family deepest sympathies on the passing of Bill. May he rest in peace.

Deepest condolences to Bill's family and friends. I was very sorry to hear this sad news. May Bill rest in peace and the memories you shared bring comfort.