Mr. Billy Mannion

IT was with great sadness that the Strangford community learned of the death of the village’s oldest resident, Mr. Billy Mannion.

One hundred and two year-old Mr. Mannion passed away peacefully on Easter Saturday night surrounded by his family.

He was born in London in 1910 shortly before his family returned to Glengormley where he developed a love for the glens of Antrim.

He spent part of his early working life looking after Daisy the elephant at Belfast Zoo before joining the RAF in 1939.

He served in various placed including Italy, North Africa and Malta. He married his wife Elizabeth (Lily) Breen in 1942 and was a loving husband and devoted father, grandfather and great-grandfather.

He was very musical and liked nothing better than a few tunes on the accordion.

He will be greatly missed by his entire family circle and wider community.