Requiem Mass was held at the Good Shepherd Church on Saturday for the Ormeau Road man who passed away a week ago. Known to friends and family as Andy, he died surrounded by his family at the Royal Victoria Hospital Belfast. A pupil of St Malachy’s College and later a student at Queen’s University in Belfast, he then became a teacher and originally taught in St Augustine’s boys school on the Ravenhill Road, before moving to St Louise’s on the Falls Road.
At the time, it was one of the largest girls schools in Europe. Advertisement Advertisement Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to NorthernIrelandWorld, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you. Having become involved in the administration of the school, Andy made a career change to the running of Northern Ireland Chest, Heart and Stroke .
Father John Forsythe, a friend of Mr Dougal since their school days at St Malachy’s led the requiem mass. He joked that he had no idea how the Andy Dougal he knew impressed the selection panel for a health organisation – given that he “had been more than fond of good food and fine wines and held regular court in sessions at the Errigle” pub on the Ormeau Road. He said Andy Dougal never missed a media opportunity to comment, advocate and seek relief for those suffering.
For the past eight years, he held the Chairmanship of Northern Ireland’s Public Health Authority – and the health minister, on hearing of Andy’s passing, commended his years .
