AN IRISHMAN has passed away suddenly in Portugal after taking ill while holidaying with his wife.

Dad-of-two Padraic Staunton, 67, is believed to have fallen ill on Thursday January 16 while cycling with his wife Brenda during the break away.

Family members travelled over to the sun spot to be by Brenda’s side earlier this week as arrangements were made to bring Padraic’s remains home, according to the Meath Chronicle.

It has been confirmed that the retired pharmacist, who was living in Athboy in Co Meath but originally hailed from Louisburgh in Mayo, will be laid to rest next week.

A notice online said Padraic died “unexpectedly while in Portugal“.

It added: “Loving son of the late Joe and Breege and beloved brother of the late Anne O’Donnell, and son-in-law of the late Paddy Clifford.

“Sadly missed and remembered with love by his loving wife Brenda (née Clifford, Sligo), son Colm and his wife Aoife, daughter Emer and her husband Jono, brothers Tom, Joseph, and John, sisters Mary, Mairead, and Therese, mother-in-law Kitty Clifford, uncles Paddy, John, & Joe and aunts Margaret & Claire.”

The notice added that Padraic would be lovingly missed and remembered by his “brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, cousins, the extended Clifford, Staunton and Mc Myler families, colleagues, neighbours, and a wide circle of friends.”

Padraic will rest in repose at Mullen’s Funeral Home on O’Growney St in Athboy on Sunday from 6pm until 9pm.

And he will continue in repose at Sweeney’s Funeral Home in his native Louisburgh on Monday from 5pm to 8pm.

The funeral will arrive to St Patrick’s Church in Louisburgh at 11:30am on Tuesday for a service at 12 noon, with private cremation to follow.

Mourners flocked to pay tribute to Padraic since his sudden death earlier this month, with pals and former customers remembering him as a “genuine gentleman” who was “always there” for others.

A neighbour said: “We were privileged to have Padraic as a neighbour.

“A kind, gentle, solid, reliable man with a caring strength who appeared for us as a family in our own dark days.

“He always had a smile and words of reassurance. He will be greatly missed and our heart goes out to Brenda, the children and the extended family.”

Another mourner said: “Heartbroken on the untimely passing of Padraic. He was the pillar of Athboy community. Always a smile and willing to help. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.”

He was a friend to so many people that came through the door.”

Mourner

A third added: “Padraic was a gentleman whose kindness knew no bounds. I know he will be deeply missed by all who knew him.”

One person told how the sheer number of condolences left for the beloved family man “is a testament to his popularity”.

Another mourner admitted that it was a “great shock” to get the news of Padraic’s passing.

They said: “A really true gentleman and always a pleasure to meet Padraic either on land, pier or sea.

“He will be missed by many but the memories we have of Padraic will always bring a smile to us.”

A former colleague described Padraic as “an absolute gentleman”, adding: “He had a quick wit and his knowledge on so many things taught me so much in my time there and I have some great memories.

“He was a friend to so many people that came through the door and always took the time to help and offer advice.

“He really made a mark on the town of Athboy and surrounding areas and will be sadly missed by so many people.”

The destruction caused by the recent Palisades, Eaton, and Hughes Fires in Los Angeles County is hard to put into words. Together, they have burned nearly 50,000 acres, destroyed more than 16,000 structures, and killed at least 29 people, according to reports from NBC News. Even though these fires are mostly now contained, those affected have a long, difficult journey ahead.

In addition to rebuilding, dealing with insurance claims, and seeking emotional support, there is also the issue of air quality, which may be more pressing than anyone realized. According to a recent study published in the journal JAMA Neurology, fine particulate matter from wildfire smoke may be linked to dementia.

RELATED: If You're Over 45, These Are the Biggest Dementia Risk Factors, Study Finds.

How wildfire smoke could lead to a dementia diagnosis:

For the study, which was published in November before the recent spate of fires, researchers analyzed the electronic health records of 1.2 million Kaiser Permanente Southern California (KPSC) patients between 2009 and 2018. (KPSC serves 4.7 million people across 10 California counties, including Los Angeles, where wildfires are common.) The patients were age 60 or older and did not have a prior dementia diagnosis.

More than 80,000 people were diagnosed with dementia by the conclusion of the study, supporting the hypothesis that those exposed long-term to wildfire-generated fine particulate matter (PM2.5) had an increased incidence of cognitive decline.

It should be noted that PM2.5 refers to the size of the particulate matter—in this case, 2.5 microns or less in diameter, according to the California Air Resources Board (CARB). These harmful particles typically make their way into outdoor air via car emissions and the combustion of gasoline, oil, diesel fuel, or wood in factories.

However, the JAMA study found that PM2.5 particles generated from wildfires are particularly dangerous, as those exposed to PM2.5 from other origins had a much lower increase in their dementia risk.

"We have this aging population, and we have strengthening climate change, and those may converge for really bad neurological health outcomes," said Joan Casey, the study's lead author and an associate professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the University of Washington, in speaking with The Washington Post.

CARB explains that once inhaled, particulate matter can be "deposited on the lung surface," which can "induce tissue damage and lung inflammation." But this new research shows how air pollution can also affect the brain.

Jacques Reis, a neurologist and professor of environmental medicine at the University of Strasbourg who was not involved in the study, told The Washington Post that air particles can cause inflammation in the brain as well as neuron and DNA damage.

"[Particulates] will trigger a lot of modification at the cellular level and it’s why this is a risk factor for neurodegenerative disease," he explained.

Other researchers have made similar claims. For example, a 2015 study published in Environmental Health Perspectives found that long-term exposure to PM2.5 led to increased diagnoses of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s.

RELATED: Your Blood Pressure Reading Could Predict Your Risk of Cognitive Decline, New Study Finds.

How you can protect yourself from wildfire smoke:

The bad news is that, according to a 2024 report produced by the nonprofit Resources for the Future (RFF), "Wildfire smoke frequently causes particulate matter pollution to exceed federal standards, and these smoke impacts are expected to grow over the century as the climate warms."

But the good news is that there are steps you can take to protect yourself from the harmful and residual effects of wildfire smoke.

Following the L.A. fires earlier this month, Cedars-Sinai recommended that those in the area wear masks outdoors for several weeks, even if their phones don't classify the air as "unhealthy." Weather data doesn't measure tiny particles, and shifting wind patterns can quickly change the air quality.

"People may think, 'Well, I don’t see or smell smoke anymore, and it looks sunny like it normally does in Southern California,' and be lulled into thinking everything is fine," said pulmonologist Jeremy Falk, MD, an associate professor of Medicine at Cedars-Sinai. "But much of what can harm us in situations like this doesn’t have an odor. The Air Quality Index system was developed for everyday pollution, and not necessarily to warn us about particles that are not typically in the air because of wildfires."

Falk says an N95 mask if your best line of defense: "What makes the air pollution associated with fires so dangerous is that the particles that seem to do the most damage are much smaller than even the microscopic droplets we saw with COVID-19. Because the particles are so tiny, they can fit between the fibers of a simple paper mask or cloth mask and get far down into our airways, causing damage."

Other ways to stay safe include keeping your home's window closed and ensuring your air filtration systems (both in the home and car) are up to date.

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