CELEBRATIONS FOR POSTMAN JACKIE AS HE MARKS HIS RETIREMENT
BIG in personality as well as in stature, local postman Jackie Hanratty was inundated with well wishes as he delivered his final bag of letters and retired from An Post last Thursday.
At 6ft 9 inches tall, Jackie is hard to miss and has become a regular fixture on his route around the seaside villages of Bettystown and Laytown.
‘It’s been a great day, absolutely brilliant. I’ve had so many well wishes. A lot of people knew it was my last day and I was being stopped left, right and centre by people wishing me well and I received so many little gifts and bottles of wine, it was so lovely and I really do have to thank all the customers. They’ve been amazing over the years and I’ve loved every minute working out by the seaside.’
Jackie has worked with An Post for the past 20 years, starting in the centre of town before moving to the Bettystown and Laytown route, where he has worked for the past 14 years.
‘It’s a lovely job to be out and about on, you are your own boss,’ said Jackie. ‘I’ll miss the banter and the camraderie but I’m looking forward to having some time to myself to be able to travel and do my own thing too.’
It’s no wonder Jackie is looking forward to some downtime as for the past 20 years his day has started with the alarm clock sounding at 4.20am for a 5am start in work to sort the mail before setting off on his round. ‘I have 800 delivery points every day and even though I’m in a van I walk about 20km a day which is the equivalent of two ladies marathons a day or ten a week. So I’m ready for a break and to go on to my next adventure,’ said Jackie.
And he’ll have no shortage of hobbies to keep him entertained during his retirement as Jackie is a passionate supporter of his local football club, Newtown Blues and is looking forward to spending more time at Ardee Golf Club where he has been a member for the past 25 years.
‘I’ve six grandchildren so they’ll keep me busy as will Arthur the dog, he’ll be walked several times a day,’ said Jackie. ‘I love gardening and reading and with the free travel now myself and my wife Dolores plan to do plenty of travelling around the country.
‘It’s our 43rd wedding anniversary today, my 66th birthday and my retirement so that’s a lot of celebrations to fit into one day! The rock behind it all in every way really is Dolores.’
Jackie marked the joint anniversary and retirement with a family celebration in the house on the day with wife Dolores, sons Paul and David, daughters Aine and Pamela and their respective partners and children followed by a night in Gleesons last weekend with his friends and colleagues from An Post. ‘I’d like to thank all my work colleagues for all their help over the years but above all my family and close friends.’