Anthony’s farewell to fire service
FOR nearly 28 years, whenever there’s been an emergency in the Enniscorthy area, Anthony Nolan has been among the first to respond. Having clocked up some major hours with the Fire Service, he’s now calling time on a career which has seen him enjoy good days and bad in a way that few other professions can imagine. As well as witnessing the devastation that fires can have on family homes and businesses, Anthony would also have played a part in saving lives throughout the district in a distinguished career.
Over the years the fire service has changed immeasurably for the better and Anthony can recall things being a lot simpler when he first started.
‘When I started we were just in an old shed down by the clinic,’ he recalled. ‘ Then we moved up to the back of the library for a couple of years while they were building the current station. Things have improved an awful lot over the years though. In terms of the equipment, fireproof clothing and cutting gear... it all makes a huge difference.’
Over the years Anthony would have been at the scene of quite a few major incidents that will be forever etched on people’s minds, one of them being the huge fire which ripped through Murphy Floods Hotel in 2005.
‘ The Murphy Floods one was major at the time,’ he said. ‘It took a long time to bring it under control and we had to bring in a platform from Carlow and everything. Then there was the huge fire at the meat factory in Clohamon. I was only about three years doing it at that stage. It was a huge one. It took over a day and a half to get it all out and it took them a long time to rebuild.’
‘I absolutely loved the job,’ Anthony continued. ‘I suppose everything comes to an end though’
While he will no doubt missed the camaraderie he enjoyed with his colleagues at the fire station, Anthony will now be able to enjoy a well-earned rest and will not have to worry about being woken in the middle of the night to respond to the latest emergency call!
Station Officer Denis Doyle also paid warm tribute to Anthony highlighting his profes- sionalism and paying tribute to his ‘extensive knowledge’ of the local area. He said that he will be sorely missed.
On behalf of everyone at the station, he wished Anthony all the very best for the future.