Postie Jack’s farewell message after 43 yrs
A LOT has changed since Jack O’Shea first set off on his bicycle to deliver mail around Cahersiveen back in 1974: Jack Lynch was Taoiseach, Erskine Childers was President, while internationally the Vietnam War still raged. Jack recently called time on his 43-years as postman in which time he enjoyed many’s a conversation with locals and visitors to Cahersiveen.
He witnessed the transition from an age when people waited for news from loved ones who had emigrated – and the parcel home from America – to the advent of email and the decline in personal letter writing.
“I met some great people and I’ll miss going out meeting them. Even in summer you got to meet a lot of people returning home on holiday and that was nice also,” said Jack.
Change in every locality happens whether we like it or not, and Jack’s job certainly brought him into contact with fluctuations in the way people communicated. But it’s meeting the people and characters of Cahersiveen that he’ll miss most.
“Without a doubt. That’s the part of the job I’ll miss. It was a joy meeting with some of the old characters around Cahersiveen. They’re lovely people and made my job a pleasure. The personal letters faded over the years with the onset of email and phones and it was mostly business letters from there on.”
He continued: “When I first started I used to cycle the area and then the vans came in. I’ve seen a lot of extra houses built during my time, especially holiday homes. I recall days when the parcel from America would arrive, but they’re long gone now. I guess young people have a different way of communicating nowadays. I’ve no plans as such other than to take it easy and take it as it comes. I might do a bit of travelling.”
Also singing Jack’s praises was Josephine Sugrue who is the manager of Cahersiveen Post Office.
“Jack is such a lovely man. I’ve known him for about 17 years as I worked with him for 10 years before I took up the role as manager here. Jack is absolutely sound and he is loved by all the customers. If the younger postmen are half as good as Jack is, they’ll be doing well.”
She continued. “We first moved here to the new building over three years ago and up to that there were different work practices. It became two different systems, basically, and Jack wasn’t phased in the slightest by the new changes and he adapted straight away.
“He embraced all the changes over the years and easily adapted which showed how good he was. We wish him all the best in his retirement and we miss him.”
I RECALL DAYS WHEN THE PARCEL FROM AMERICA WOULD ARRIVE BUT THEY’RE LONG GONE NOW. YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE A DIFFERENT WAY OF COMMUNICATING NOWADAYS.