Pat plans big birthday bash in aid of North Tipperary Hospice

One of the best-known characters in Nenagh, who has spent his working life installing phones and connecting local homes and businesses to broadband, will retire from his post at the end of the month.

Pat Delaney is having a 65th birthday retirement bash in Reidy’s pub in Newtown on Saturday night, August 30, the aim being to generate much needed funds for the North Tipperary Hospice movement.

Pat will bow out from his job as a Customers Operation Technician from the telecommunications company, Eir, just the day before the party, marking the end of a 44-year career serving in the Nenagh area.

“The hospice carries out a wonderful role, and there is hardly a family in North Tipperary that has not been touched by the vital end-of-life care it provides,” says Pat, who is urging as many people as possible to turn up at his fundraising party.

Pat has music lined up for the night and finger food will be served. The celebrations will start at 9pm and will continue into the late hours with a sign-a-long that could well be still going after midnight, and into Sunday, August 31 - the date of Pat’s actual birthday.

Entry to the party is free, but there will be a bucket collection in aid of the hospice. The charity is very dear to Pat’s heart, he being a huge supporter of the work it does. He is a member of the Nenagh branch of the hospice.

START OF CAREER

Pat, from Carrigatoher, started his career in the telecommunications sector on June 29, 1981, after graduating in Civil Engineering from Limerick Institute of Technology. He first worked with the old State-owned Posts & Telegraphs firm and remained on as the name changed over the decades, first to Eircom, in 1984, and latterly to Eir.

Over the years, Pat earned a great reputation for his personal approach to customers who needed phone, cabling and broadband issues resolved.

“The one thing I loved about the job over the decades was the great sense of satisfaction of fixing problems that homeowners and businesses faced,” Pat reveals.

After all the years in the day job, what does the future hold for him now? “I do love gardening, so I hope to spend more time at that,” he says.

As a longtime member of the Nenagh Walking Club (Aonach ar Siúl) he loves taking to the scenic tracks and trails of North Tipperary and beyond in his spare time, so more of that will also feature. A committed community volunteer for various causes over the years, he has plans to do more charity work.

Pat is married to Mary and they have a son, Josh, aged 22. He is a brother of Nenagh’s renowned photographer, Bridget Delaney.

His birthday message to people is, do come along to Reidy’s in Newtown on Saturday night, August 30, and enjoy the party.

Enjoy a occasion of music and song and great company, all for a truly deserving cause.