It is with a heavy heart and great sadness that I have to advise that Nuala Carroll who has been a long-standing member of the QOC has suddenly passed away after a short illness leaving loving husband Paschal, children and grandchildren. All our thoughts go out to the family.
If you have attended Stoneleigh or been on tour you will have met Nuala and Paschal. Nuala helped out at the QOC AGM BBQ every year, some years even bringing home made BBQ sauce and Brac (Irish cake). Nuala and Paschal come from Ireland but this did not stop them being fully involved with the club, they came on many of the QOC tours even helping arrange 2 trips to their home country. Mine and Judith’s first meeting with Nuala was on our first tour to southern Ireland in 2008. Apparently, I told Judith not to take her big warm coat (bad move in May in southern Ireland it turns out) Nuala found Judith sat outside our hotel room waiting for me with the key. Asking what the matter was Judith advised my faux pas about the lack of coat. Nuala immediately said Judith could have a blanket from her car. This was the start of a great friendship. At the end of the tour Nuala asked Judith If she would come again and Judith said "Oh yes, it’s been good and thanks for the blanket".
That is how Nuala was always checking on others and helping out where she can, ready to chat and with a story. Another time on a Scottish tour, we were waiting to go on a ferry and people were getting their phones out to use the calculator to try and work out how much it would be, when she piped up with the cost, her mental arithmatic being much better and quicker than our phone calculators.
A true Irish character. One of her well-known sayings was “That’s grand.”
Nuala you will be sadly missed by many, thank you for being part of our life. It was cut way too short. Our thoughts are with Paschal and the family.
