Paddy OBrien Profile – Connaught Telegraph article 4th June 08.
Castlebar Bank Manager receives Rotary Award
Paddy O’Brien, a well-known Manager in Bank of Ireland Castlebar was recently recognised for his outstanding service contribution to the community. Paddy was awarded the prestigious “Paul Harris Rotary Award” at the recent Rotary President’s dinner. Paddy is a member of Castlebar Rotary for 18 years and a Past President of the Club (1997-98). He holds the position of Club treasurer since 2002. During his term as treasurer over €72k has been collected by Castlebar rotary and distributed to charities in the locality and deserving projects in the third world.
Paddy O’Brien, the award recipient, is also well-known in hurling circles in Mayo. He is on the executive of Castlebar Mitchels hurling club and coaches at juvenile level. Originally from Co Clare, it is hardly surprising that he has a strong interest in hurling. He is interested in all sports, plays golf when time allows and is also a keen Manchester United supporter.
O’Brien lives in Watersville on the Pontoon Road and has worked in Bank of Ireland Castlebar since 1989. He is a Senior Business Manager with the bank, is married to Therese and has three children Laura, Deirdre & Vincent.
The surprise award was made at Rotary Presidents night. The presentation was made by current Castlebar Rotary President Pat Gallagher, CEO of Baxter Healthcare in Castlebar. In his speech President Pat Gallagher warmly praised Paddy for his support for the club and the wider Castlebar community. O’Brien was a very popular choice for the award as he is a well-liked and respected club member. The award was accepted to a standing-ovation from club members and friends.
The Paul Harris Award is given in honour of Paul P. Harris who founded the Rotary organisation in 1905 in Chicago. Paul Harris’s initial idea has grown into a worldwide organisation with 31,000 clubs in six continents. The Rotary organisation, whose motto reads “Service above self”, addresses many of todays most critical issues – health, hunger, the environment and literacy. Rotary recognised the importance of having active club volunteers when it created this international award in 1957. The Paul Harris award is given in recognition of outstanding contributions to the community by Rotarians or other professionals. The Award is one of the highest honours Rotary can bestow upon a person. The Castlebar club supports rotary international projects but much of its focus is on the local community.
In the next few weeks the club will run its annual “Stroke Awareness” Day in conjunction with the Cardiology Dept of Mayo General Hospital. All members of the public will be invited to have their blood pressure checked for free by volunteer nurses and doctors at a mobile unit, which will be located in Dunnes Stores car park on a Saturday. Information leaflets will be distributed giving full information about blood pressure. On previous occasions this service helped identify individuals who were unknowingly at risk and they were able to take important preventative action. This project is being lead by local business-woman, Dolores Burke from Annagh on the Westport Road. Rotary member John Kilkelly of Kilkelly T.V recently organised another project called ‘three tenners and a hardback’. Rotary members and friends were asked to donate, from their bookshelf, a recent hardback novel and “three tenners!. The project raised €2,000 for three Kenyan projects and the books were sent to Paul Healy, a Dalkey man who works in Kenya’s famine wracked Kitui province; the books are for a school library.
The club recently held their annual film night fundraiser and raised €2,300 for local charities when they had a private screening of the Academy award-winning movie “ONCE” in the Linenhall Theatre last month. This fundraiser was organised by solicitor Myles Gilvarry.Rotary Castlebar and its members such as Paddy O’Brien are working away quietly at making a difference in our communities. This work is only possible with the support and generosity of the general public and businesses in Castlebar.
