New headstone honours life of 'Billy from the market'

IT is a headstone like no other, but then Brendan Joseph Flanagan was no ordinary man.

Brendan passed away peacefully in hospital on 4th July 2025, aged 79, and has been remembered as ‘the face of Antrim’ - a true local legend whose humour, warmth and character made him beloved by all who knew him.

Brendan earned his nickname ‘Billy Bog Roll’ during his years as a market trader and street seller, pushing a pram filled with toilet rolls, balloons, flags and dog toys.

He became a familiar sight across Antrim and Nutts Corner Market, famously calling out, “Buy your doggy a toy for a pound!”

He was celebrated locally for his generosity and good humour, with one business even naming a burger in his honour in 2023.

In recent years, the community rallied to help refurbish Brendan’s bungalow after discovering he was living in difficult conditions - donating furniture, kitchen appliances and time to ensure he was comfortable.

He was later supported by many of the same friends who came together to give him ‘the send-off he deserved’.

Generosity

They also sought to raise £1,500 for a headstone - and thanks to the generosity of Nutts Corner market traders and the people of Antrim they soon smashed that target.

The extra money was donated to the Macmillan Unit in Antrim - a cause close to Brendan’s heart.

The distinctive new headstone said that while the local man had gone to the ‘market in the sky’, he would not be forgotten.

It also includes the full text of the poem written by and read by funeral celebrant Louise McIllwee at his funeral at Wray’s Funeral Directors back in the summer.

Part of it reads: ‘Through great laughter and graft, through hustle and fun, Brendan or Billy touched everyone.

‘A seller, a joker, a kind-hearted friend, whose stories and spirit will not find their end.

‘So here’s to a man with a heart of pure gold. The market’s bright spark, both daring and bold.

‘Not just a trader, but someone we’ll miss, whose life was a patchwork of joy just like this’.

A fitting epitaph to Brendan - and a life well lived.