Aidan Toner was a proud Tyrone man who made Ballycastle his home after falling in love with the place and its wonderful people.
A kind and generous man, he was held in the highest regard for his contribution to community life and the many friendships he made.
Born in Gortin, Co Tyrone, the baby of a large, close family of seven girls and two boys, Aidan found himself in the fortunate position of being spoiled by his older siblings growing up and he always loved spending time with them and their families.
He was a loving husband to Karen, a proud father and father-in-law of Jan and Tom, and most recently the doting granda of wee Rory, with whom he got to spend time in Australia last summer.
Aidan and Karen met in 1986. They married three years later and he was more than happy to make the move to Ballycastle. He considered himself one of the luckiest men alive to be living in such a beautiful place.
At first, Karen could not believe she had met someone who showed only a mild interest in football but as time went by, she realised this was turning into a passion, as Aidan said the only thing Ballycastle was missing was a Tyrone Gaelic football team. So he set about helping to train under-12 to 14 teams at the local club and this proved to be a big success with players and parents alike.
Aidan was a real people person and this was evident in the way he treated everyone – young and old, friends or strangers – with friendliness, generosity and most of all his unique sense of humour.
The family home was often filled with French and other European visitors and Aidan gave every one of them a warm welcome, often going out of his way to entertain.
He would say “I’m just off for a short walk with the dog” and come back a short eight hours later with a shattered dog and a small group of foreign campers in need of a bit of help. They left Caman Crescent with full bellies and an in-depth knowledge of the history and culture of the north coast.
His generosity also extended to volunteering with the local search and rescue team. Called out at any time of day night, he dropped whatever he was doing if it meant he could try to save a life. He also raised significant funds for charity over the years, completed many sponsored walks and worked as a volunteer for Gateway – when he and Karen started dating, he once turned down a date to drive the Gateway bus on a Saturday night.
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In his working life Aidan was a health and safety officer in Belfast and then Ballymena Borough Council. It was there that I first met him in 1995 and we kept in touch – meeting up for occasional walks where we put the world to rights. Aidan was always able to resolve situations at work with ease, using that humour and ability to connect with everyone.
He was first diagnosed with his illness in 2001. He had many health issues to overcome but was, and continues to be, an inspiration in the way he met each problem with determination and a positive attitude. He found a lot of comfort from prayer and attended Mass daily. He gave us all a reminder to live life to the full while we still can.
Aidan passed away on January 10 2024 aged only 63. He will be missed by so many people, especially his immediate family. Walks on Benone beach will never be the same again.
Rest In peace, my old friend. I will always remember you.
Barry Toorish
