Pat retires after 24 years’ service to Bray council
PAT O’KEEFE’S colleagues, friends, and the people of Bray, have all wished him well as he retires from the council after 24 years of service in the parks department.
Yesterday was not only his last day, but his 66th birthday so double cause for celebration. He will have a get-together at the weekend with his colleagues to mark the occasion, at his favourite watering hole, The Ardmore.
Pat worked in the parks department and is responsible for the beautiful displays of flowers all over the town, including the monument to deceased firemen Brian Murray and Mark O’Shaughnessy, beds in the People’s Park, the library on Eglinton Road, the council area opposite the Royal Hotel, and other locations all over Bray. The duties and tasks would change with the seasons, so Pat’s responsibilities included everything from cutting grass and hedges, to planting flowerbeds, pruning trees, tackling storm damage and much more.
His right-hand-man Eddie Flanagan said that Pat has a vast knowledge of plants, shrubs and flowers, and all of the information needed to look after Bray’s parklands. He said that Pat has a gift for garden design and no doubt his talents were evident when he interviewed for the position over two decades ago.
Eddie said that he learned a lot from Pat, who will have no shortage of things to do in his retirement, with a garden of his own to tend and vegetables to grow.
He said that Pat has always been hard working, and an animal lover, who wouldn’t so much as harm a spider.
Before working for the council, Pat was part of the history of north Wicklow, being one of the people who worked on building the Newtownmountkennedy by-pass.
Pat lives in Ballywaltrim and is a native of Enniskerry. He is married to Una and they have three children and a number of grandchildren.
He has been a great asset to the town of Bray, and was very well suited to the job he worked so hard at for over 20 years.