Death of former Ashbourne school principal, Paddy Duffy

Athboy native, Paddy Duffy, founder and former principal of Gaelscoil na Chille in Ashbourne and  advisor to former Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern has died suddenly.

He is understood to have died at Heathrow Airport, while travelling back to Dublin from Papau New Guinea with the former Taoiseach.

 Mr Ahern has been working in the Bougainville region of Papau New Guinea in advance of an independence referendum next year.

Mr Duffy is best known as Mr Ahern's former press secretary and special adviser.  When he parted company with Mr Ahern in 1999, he founded The Right Word Company, a public relationns consultancy.

Mr Duffy was master of ceremonies at the recent Meath West Fianna Fail tribute to Bertie Ahern's role in the Northern Ireland Peace Process.