South Longford community bids farewell to a one of kind spirit Don Irwin

Donald ‘Don’ Grombacher-Irwin—engineer, educator, linguist, bridge expert, boat-building visionary, and Ballymahon’s most enthusiastic town twinner—set sail for the great beyond on January 30, 2025, after a brief but spirited battle with pancreatic cancer.

No doubt, he’s already made new friends, corrected someone’s French pronunciation, and is deep in debate with Einstein over the finer points of physics.

Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, Don had adventure baked into his DNA. His mother, Betty, an Iowa farm girl-turned-diplomat, and his father, Francis, a filmmaker with a flair for the dramatic, ensured his childhood had more plot twists than a "whodunit" movie. His early years saw him bouncing between continents before eventually landing in Yardley, Pennsylvania, and later finding his heart’s home in Ballymahon, Co Longford.

An insatiable learner and relentless tinkerer, Don earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University.

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He spent his professional life wielding his mathematical brilliance in engineering, technology, and eventually, education. As a physics teacher, he brought science to life—sometimes quite literally—by launching Barbie dolls across classrooms, much to the delight of his students.

When Don landed in Ballymahon six years ago, he did what he did best—he got stuck in. He bought an apartment and, in true Don fashion, immediately converted it into his home-cum-makeshift community workshop. Then, never one for half-measures, he set out to design and build a sailing boat for the Royal Canal.

Naturally, he built it in pieces, ensuring it could be extracted from his second-story apartment—because where’s the fun in doing things the easy way? To Don, everything in life—whether a boat, an equation, or even life itself—should be capable of being taken apart and reassembled, ideally in the back of a Prius.

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He joined the Ballymahon Bridge Club and, in no time, was not just playing but winning. He took to organising sailing trips on the canal, delighting both the locals and visiting French twinning guests from Landevant. Ballymahon Town Twinning soon discovered his insatiable curiosity for world history and culture, and before long, he became their most dedicated ‘full-back’, ensuring that every visitor from Brittany received a proper Longford welcome (along with a crash course in its history).

Don’s passions were as varied as they were infectious. Languages? Fluent in German, proficient in French. Running? That was him, breezing through the New York Marathon. Food? If it was edible, Don was interested. He never met a snack he didn’t like.

A devoted Quaker, he held an unshakable belief in the inherent goodness of people and worked to make communities more inclusive.

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But Don’s true gift was people. He could—and would—strike up a conversation with anyone, anywhere. Whether boating along the canal at Brannigan, filling up his Prius at Nally’s Circle K, or on board Brittany Ferries en route to Landevant for a twinning event, Don had a way of making every interaction meaningful. The twinning experience brought him immense joy, and even last September, as he began to feel unwell, he pushed through with his signature determination, never missing a moment.

In his final chapter, Don made the difficult decision to return to New Jersey for treatment, surrounded by his loving family. Saying goodbye to his great friend Bashir Hussain and twinning friends and neighbors in Ballymahon, knowing it was for the last time, was a heartbreaking moment, but one met with his characteristic grace and warmth.

Now reunited with his parents, his brother Terence (who, no doubt, is waiting with a fishing rod in hand), and his ever-loyal dog, Rusty (who loved him even more than cheese), Don leaves behind a legacy of laughter, curiosity, and some unfinished projects. He is survived by his devoted partner of 16 years, Risa Shiber, who cared for him with boundless love and patience; his children, Kathleen and Keith, and their families; and his brother, John Irwin. He also leaves behind groups of friends in various clubs and associations in Ballymahon and beyond, who will forever feel his absence.

So, raise a glass—preferably of good whiskey or a strong cup of coffee—in Don’s honor. He’d want us all to keep learning, keep laughing, and most importantly—always go back for seconds.

Obituary by Matt Nolan