When Brazilian Paulo Sergio Soares da Paixão became involved with traditional boats in Galway, little did he expect that his ashes would be scattered by fellow crew members at sea.
Musicians and members of Galway group Badoirí an Chladaigh took to the wateron Sunday to bid farewell to their Brazilian colleague after he died last week at the age of 52.
Known in Galway as “Paolo Sergio”, the dancer and choreographer came to Ireland to study gastronomy.
He signed up as a volunteer with Badóirí an Chladaigh, and “everyone he touched just loved him”, according to Peter Connolly of the Galway hooker restoration group.
Brazilian choreographer Paulo Sergio Soares da Paixão whose ashes were scattered by Badoirí an Chladaigh in Galway Bay1.jpg
“Paulo was very involved in our outdoor classes for schools, and there was nothing that he couldn’t do,” Connolly said.
When he became ill, he spent a number of months in University Hospital Galway and had two operations in Beaumont hospital in Dublin.
After his cremation last week, arrangements were made to scatter his ashes off Galway’s Mutton island.
The half decker Réalt Feasa and fishing boat Aisling Geal took advantage of a brief weather window on Sunday morning (Oct 31) to steam out to the island.
Paulo’s sister Mariza Soares da Paixao Milo and his cousin, Sergio Severiano Gomes Oliveira, were on board as the wind caught his ashes, a wreath was laid, and prayers were said in his memory.
A group of musicians then played a number of pieces on board the hooker Naomh Cronán, which was moored in full sail in the Claddagh basin and flying a Brazilian flag from its mast.
Relatives and friends of Paulo Sergio Soares da Paixão from left, his sister Maria Soares da Paixao Milo, Esther Niland, Sergio Gomes Oliveira and David Doyle
Mayor of Galway Colette Connolly paid her respects to the family.
Clearly moved by the tribute, Sergio called how his cousin was born in Salvador and how he had studied choreography.
He became a professor of dance at the University of Para in Belem, where he was based for 25 years, and directed works that were staged in theatres in Belem.
“Paulo spent at the University of Para, very far from his home in Salvador, he had a house and car, he returned home to see family and friends, but over time he wanted a little more, something different,”Sergio said.
“He wanted to know the world, and people in a different way, he wanted a reality different from the reality of being Brazilian,” Sergio said.
“He planned to move from Brazil and discover something new...so he came to Ireland to change his way of life and study gastronomy here,”he said.
“Paulo first stayed in Dublin and then decided to move to Galway as it is a small city and a pretty city that gave him more opportunities, and he met many people of many different origins,”Sergio said.
“ He captivated people around him, and he was made welcome here,”he said.
Esther Niland, who offered Paulo lodgings in the West, along with David Doyle and Danny Bailey of Badóirí an Chladaigh said this was “what he would have wanted”.
“I was an immigrant for 20 years myself, many of us have been there, and we felt it was so sad that Paolo died so far from his home,”Peter Connolly added.
“He was a pure gentle giant,” Doyle said.
