Nenagh man honoured in Australia

A NENAGH native living in Australia has received a major award in his adopted country for his contribution to the community, being included as one of the recipients in the Australia Day 2023 Honours List.

Paul Scroope is to be presented with the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) “for services to the community through a range of organisations”.

The Order of Australia Medal is being presented to Mr Scroope for his work with organisations that provide pathways and assistance to disadvantaged, homeless, at-risk and marginalised people.

Mr Scroope was also included on the honours lists for his work in helping cancer research organisations bring together the collective expertise of leading researchers to advance the science and develop therapies for various cancers.

“I am honoured but also very humbled to get such recognition,” Mr Scroope told The Guardian.

He said he was actually surprised to learn that he had been honoured in such a way by the Order of Australia. “I am pleased someone considered my efforts worthy of the recommendation,” said Mr Scroope.

"To volunteer one's time and expertise to community organisations and helping improve society is rewarding in itself,” he added.

“I’ll admit to some pride as an Irishman, and a Nenagh-man to boot, in achieving such an honour, but I am humbled to be recognised in this way.”

Mr Scroope (66), who is married with two daughters, was educated in Saint Mary's Boys National School in Nenagh and attended secondary school in the former Carmalites College in Castlemartyr in Co Cork before subsequently sitting his Leaving Certificate at Nenagh CBS in 1974.

While living in Nenagh he was active in the FCA and later worked as a trainee accountant in Dublin before emigrating to Melbourne in 1980.

PRESENTATION CEREMONY

There will be a formal investiture ceremony and presentation of the medal to Mr Scroope and all other awardees in April or May.

Among those organisations congratulating Mr Scroope was the scouting movement in Victoria who said the honours and awards system gives the nation a chance to celebrate and acknowledge those who work tirelessly to improve local communities and to make Australia a better place.

It said it was proud to acknowledge Mr Scroope and a number of other recipients who were recognised for their services to Scouting and young people. The Nenagh man is a former Group Leader with the 1st Beaumaris Sea Scouts.

Mr Scroope is son of the late John Scroope and Nora (née Willis), a native of Garrykennedy. His father was a Director of the Aluminium Factory that used to operate in Tyone and a prominent member of the town's Chamber of Commerce.

Mr Scroope is a brother of Harry, the former Manager the Thrift Shop run by North Tipperary Community Services in Sarsfeld Street.

Another brother, Michael, runs Scroope Insurances in Pearse Street.

Mr Scroope has a twin brother, Peter, now a ceramic artist living in Kilkenny, and he has a brother John who lives in Tralee. Another sibling, Simon, recently retired as head of AIB International and now lives in Annabeg.

Mr Scroope has three sisters who also grew up in the former family home on the Birr Road: Margaret, Patricia and Ann, the latter being the highly successful designer best known locally for her imaginative concept and layout of Nenagh's new tourist office.