Tipperary woman honoured for 50 years of dedicated credit union service

Last month, Clonmel Town Hall hosted a mayoral reception to honour her five decades of voluntary service to Clonmel Credit Union. Kathleen first began as a teller in Waterford in the 1970s before moving to Clonmel with her husband, Seamus. Over the years, she served twice as president of the Board of Directors and helped launch the members’ draw, now in its 26th year.

At 90 years old, Kathleen Halpin still insists her work is “about the credit union and the service it gives to people, rather than about one individual.”

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Chairperson Eamonn O’Mara praised her “unwavering commitment and volunteering spirit,” saying her leadership “has profoundly shaped our community and the Clonmel Credit Union.”

Reflecting on her time, Kathleen recalled joining as a member in 1969 when “there were no employees at all.” During the bank strike of the late 1970s, she said, “we could cash cheques for people when the banks were closed. That’s when I really saw how important the credit union was to the community.”

She believes its strength lies in its ethos. “It’s the members’ money, and we must never forget that,” she said. “Ninety per cent of what we lend gets spent locally. That keeps the town alive.”

Due to retire from the board in December 2025, Kathleen will continue to serve on committees and represent Clonmel Credit Union nationally. “No one is bigger than the organisation itself,” she said. “It belongs to the members.”

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