Tipperary town volunteers honoured for lifetime of outstanding service

On January 28, a very special cathaoirleach’s reception took place at the Cashel-Tipperary Municipal District offices where three outstanding Tipperary volunteers were honoured for their lifetimes work.

Ms. Pat Myers, Mr. Tom Fitzgerald and Mr. Eddie Flaherty were formally recognised for their lifetime service to the community of Tipperary in a voluntary capacity.

Cathaoirleach Cllr. Michael Fitzgerald welcomed fellow councillors and TD Mattie McGrath all of whom spoke of the recipients' outstanding lifetime of service and dedication.

Cllr. Denis Leahy, who proposed the volunteers for a the honour   said - “It is the silent volunteers who are rarely recognised for their work. Pat, Tom and Eddie don’t’ want to be in the spotlight despite years giving selfishly of their time.

They were the ‘googles’ before it happenen. In 1974, 84 and 94 they researched and shared information that helped so many people and like a confession box, what went in never went out the door. Collectively, voluntary housing, St. Vincent’s Day Care centre, the Citizen’s Information service, all down to the giants of community here today. There are no three greater people more entitled to receive this great accolade today.”

Cllr. Mary Hannah-Hourigan seconded the proposal. 

Eddie Flaherty

Eddie Flaherty became a volunteer in Tipperary Town Citizens Information soon after the service commenced in 1974 and is still to be found working at the office in St. Michael’s Street as an active member.
He also spent many years as a member of the Board of County Tipperary Citizens Information Service. Despite working long hours and bringing up his family, Eddie found the time to assist people in the Tipperary area.

“Through his work in Citizens Information Eddie meets people from every walk of life and treats every client with dignity and compassion,” said Cathaoirleach Cllr. Michael Fitzgerald.
“When Eddie joined Citizens Information, volunteers were required to study books and newspapers to keep up-to-date with the latest changes and all office work was hand written. In recent years Eddie has embraced change and not let computerisation stop him from continuing his volunteer work in Citizens Information.
Mr. Eddie Flaherty also spent many years as a member on the board of MABS in Tipperary Town, a service that provides help and assistance to people with financial difficulties and a vital service during the recent recession. Through his volunteer work in Canon Hayes Recreation Centre, Eddie taught many young people in Tipperary Town how to swim and improve their swimming performance. During his working life he was also very active in workers’ rights and an advocate for improvements to safety and health of his fellow employees.
On receipt of the honour Eddie said, “I got great satisfaction out of my volunteer work over the years and I’d like to say thank

you for this reception.”

Cathaoirleach Cllr. Michael Fitzgerald concluded, “Eddie is such a modest gentleman that I’m sure there are other areas he has been involved in that few people know about. He keeps his mind active through his dedication to volunteer work and physically active by swimming, long walks and hill climbing. A perfect example to us all.”

Pat Myers

“When a client of the Citizens Information Service would ask Pat Myers, what was owed at the end of a consultation, she would explain that the service was free and would wish them well and remind them that they could come back any time.
Many of them did come back over the years, and were delighted to see that Pat Myers was available to answer their queries,” said Cathaoirleach Cllr. Michael Fitzgerald in his speech about Pat Myers.
“What she never said was that she was a volunteer of 44 years standing when she retired in August 2018, nor that she was a founding member in Tipperary that was only the third in the country.”
In her time Pat handled thousands of queries, wrote thousands more letters and advocated on behalf of those who needed her voice. Her compassion and her assistance were never shared with any expectation of reward of any kind during all those years.
During her 44-years of service at the Tipperary Citizens Information Service, Pat became the coordinator and trainer of volunteers and supported new volunteers until they found their feet and were ready to work on their own.
In her own time, Pat continually participated in the on-going professional training, the inevitable meetings regarding the financing and the day-to-day running of the organisation. Pat was a member of the Board of County Tipperary Citizens Information Service, which helped to run the service on behalf of the National Board. This service has handled an average of 60,000 queries in each of the last number of years and is the third busiest in the country.
Pat spoke graciously in her acceptance speech thanking all for the honour.
“On my own behalf, and on behalf of all my colleagues and volunteers at the Tipperary Citizen’s Information Centre, with whom I have worked with as a volunteer for over 40 years and more especially for those who have gone to their eternal rest, I accept this on their behalf and my own behalf and I thank you all very much.”

Tom Fitzgerald

“We are here today to acknowledge, pay tribute and thank Tom Fitzgerald for all the voluntary work he has done and continues to do for our community in Tipperary town area,” said Cathaoirleach Cllr. Michael Fitzgerald addressing all attending the reception.

“Tom epitomises the word “volunteer, which one definition reads, ‘A person who gives freely of their time for an organisation without being paid’. This quote defines Tom for all his life. While we are here principally to acknowledge his work on behalf of Citizens Information it would be remiss of us not to mention some of the other activities and organisations Tom has been involved in over the years. These include: Legion of Mary, Tipperary Dramatic Society, Tipperary Musical Society, Tipperary Agricultural Show, Knights of Columbanus, Canon Hayes Youth Centre, Tipperary Boy Scouts, Genealogy Centre, Heritage Centre (Daltons House) Tipperary Peace Award, Tipperary Voluntary Housing Assoc, South Tipperary Leader Board and St Vincent’s day care centre for which he is still treasurer.”
Cllr. Fitzgerald went on to say that Tom Fitzgerald was a prime mover in the setting up of the credit union in town and was honoured by the credit union for doing so in the last year. He has been involved in Muintir na Tire from its creation by Canon Hayes in 1937 and has continued to promote its ethos - the promotion and development of communities in Ireland.
Tom served as secretary to Canon Hayes for many years and is still involved in the Community Council to this day. Another service that Tom was involved in from the start is the Meals on Wheels service, which formally started out as the Penny dinners.
“Tipperary community radio, now known as Tipperary Mid West radio, commenced in 1981 – both Tom and Pat Myers were very much involved in establishing the radio station.
Regarding the Tipperary Citizens Information, this service has being going strong since April 1974. Tom was involved from the start with Pat Myers, followed shortly by Eddie Flaherty.
Originally set up as the Community Information Centre, it was firstly located in St Anne’s School and later moved to its current location in the community centre.
The centre was based originally on the British Citizens Advice model and then adjusted by Tom who had travelled to the U.K. and Northern Ireland to study their model to suit our Tipperary needs. Tom has represented the centre locally, regionally and nationally but most of all represented the users of the service with distinction” said Cllr.Fitzgerald.
Much of Tom’s community involvement has centred on the Community Centre building in St Michael Street.
Tom Fitzgerald said “I started my volunteer work with Canon Hayes who was the driving force behind all that I did. I was with Canon Hayes in Cahir in the late 1940s, inspired by all that he did in the 1930s in Tipperary Town. Canon Hayes started the penny dinner. He charged a penny so people wouldn’t feel like it was charity. I always liked what I was doing and although I turned 90 years old last April I still haven’t retired.”