Pat Higgins, founder and owner of Pat the Baker in Ireland, has died aged 84. He and his wife Rita, who died in 1991, set up the bakery in Granard, Co Longford, her home town, in 1953.

Pat was from Kilkelly, Co Mayo. He used his local nickname of Pat the Baker for the company name and its prolific advertising. Today, the company is the third largest Irish plant bakery after Joseph Brennan Bakeries and Irish Pride. Pat Higgins himself remained a modest man, despite being a multimillionaire. He and his wife refused to trade in their humble family home in Granard for a mansion. The firm is now run by three of their sons.

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