Remembering Martin McAllister, a Donegal engineer who travelled the world

Martin McAllister passed away at his home in Drumrooske, Donegal, on December 18, 2023 at the age of 86 from a heart attack.

Martin was born on August 4th, 1937 in Donegal Town to Charlie and Brigid (née Treacy) McAllister. After attending primary school, Martin won a scholarship to attend Garbally College in Ballinasloe, Galway. 

Martin went on to study Civil Engineering at University College Dublin. 

He then worked in London where he met his wife, Johanna Walker.

During the Vietnam war, Martin worked with the US Army Corp of Engineers building roads and runways from his base in Saigon. (Martin proudly carried his draft card in his wallet till the day he died.) 

After moving to New York City where he worked on such projects as the Van Wyck Expressway and the World's Fair, Martin and Joan had three children, Tracey, Cecilia and Johnny. 

After New York, Martin began working overseas, living between Donegal and such places as Libya, Iran, Malta, Holland, Egypt, UAE, Houston, Texas, Casper, Wyoming and Scotland. He built roads and bridges, Co2 plants, offshore oil rigs, liquid gas plants, and water treatment facilities.

Even after his children left, Martin continued to work in such places as Madagascar, Siberia, Azerbaijan and Colombia. In 1998, Martin retired from engineering and moved back to Donegal where he was committed to improving the land and tending to sheep.

After almost 40 years of work and travel, Martin got back into the daily life of his hometown. Every morning he would get the Irish Times from Timoney’s newsagent, treated himself to coffee at the Blueberry Cafe and went to the mart occasionally. 

Despite his education and vast experience, Martin had a genuine interest in every person he met and loved to talk. It must be said that he was a character and many people loved to see him coming.

About five years ago, Martin developed dementia. Joan and his daughter, Tracey, stepped in to care for him. In his final years, Tracey would stop by with his paper, his meals and medication and take him on a daily drive. 

Despite the dementia and a history of heart disease, Martin was very good humoured and still full of chat for any friend or stranger.

Martin could quote pages of Shakespeare he hadn’t read in years, recite poems in their original Gaelic learned as a child. His humour could be risqué but was always guaranteed to elicit a good laugh from his audience. 

Martin could be a tough taskmaster but his bark was worse than his bite. And he was endlessly curious and open to the experience of anyone who knew him. 

Above all, Martin will be remembered for his love of life and people.

Martin is lovingly remembered by his wife Johanna, three children, Tracey, Cecilia and Johnny, daughter-in-law, Annie and grandchildren Sefiya and Lev and siblings Theresa, Cahill and Philomena.

He is predeceased by his parents, Charlie and Brigid McAllister, his brothers James and John Joseph McAllister and sisters Angela Ryan and Cecilia McAllister.

Martin’s remains reposed at Tír Connaíll Funeral home on December 20 and he was buried in Killymard Chapel on December 21, 2023.