The late Frank O'Donoghue honoured in Tipperary park that was very special to him

A Clonmel man has been honoured in a green lung in a busy and bustling town that he and his fellow community volunteers spent countless hours maintaining.  

Mulcahy Park in Clonmel was very close to the late Frank O’Donoghue’s heart, so it was only fitting that a memorial bench was unveiled there in his honour.

“We’re delighted and very honoured and he would have been chuffed”, says his daughter Audrey Moloney.

“It’s recognition for everything he did for Tidy Towns for so many years”.

A tireless worker in the community, Frank O’Donoghue was a founder member of the Clonmel Tidy Towns group almost 40 years ago and had served as its secretary for many years.

He was one of those who spearheaded the significant improvements made in the appearance of the town in recent years.

This year Clonmel won a gold medal in the national competition for the twelfth year in-a-row, and last year won the national Pollinator award.

Frank passed away at his Ard-na-Greine home last December. His dedication and commitment to his community were recognised when he was honoured with the Tidy Towns Community Hero award in recent years.

Family and friends gathered in Mulcahy Park for the unveiling of the memorial bench.

Appropriately, a clean-up of the area was undertaken before the unveiling, something that would have especially pleased him.

Above - At the unveiling of the memorial bench to Frank O’Donoghue at Mulcahy Park, Clonmel were, standing, Canon Brendan Crowley, Cllr. Michael Murphy, Ingrid O’Donoghue, Audrey Moloney, Joe McCormack, Andrew O’Donoghue, Kate Lonergan, Maurice Shanahan and Margaret Shanahan. Seated, Margaret McCormack and Mary Shanahan

“The seat is a wonderful tribute to him in a place that he loved so much and it means the world to the family”, says his daughter Ingrid O’Donoghue.

The gathering at Mulcahy Park included relatives of Martin Behan, who as secretary of the Tidy Towns committee worked closely alongside Frank O’Donoghue for many years, and who also passed away in the last year.

Frank’s family are very grateful to everyone who attended the ceremony - including Canon Brendan Crowley and Tipperary County Council Cathaoirleach Michael Murphy- and those who organised the memorial bench, especially Tidy Towns committee member Deirdre Murray.

“Our father, along with all the Tidy Towns members, kept the park and river walk clean for 36 years”, says his daughter Audrey. 

“We thought that a bench in his name was particularly touching, as it symbolised the message ‘you can sit down and relax now, your work is done’”.

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