Post office retirees are honoured for their service
POSTMASTERS AND POSTMISTRESSES THANKED FOR THEIR DEDICATION TO THEIR COMMUNITIES
RETIRING postmasters and postmistresses from across the North and Mid- Cork areas have been honoured for their years of dedicated service to their respective communities.
Collette Ford of Carrig Na Bhfear Post Office, Martin O’Flaherty (Grenagh PO), Marguerite Linehan (Blarney PO) and (Ted Dunne Carrigadrohid PO), were among a number of people to be recognised during a recent ceremony at Cork’s Commons Inn.
Speaking to the Corkman, Denis O’Flynn from the Cork branch of the Irish Postmasters Union said it was a great opportunity to recognise the exceptional levels of dedication and service that all of the retirees had shown during their time with An Post.
He said that while many stories were told on the night, the main theme of the evening was the enjoyment that each of the retirees got from serving their customers on a daily basis.
“Some recounted opening Post Office bank books for their customers when they were born and seeing them progress through their First Holy Communion and Confirmation right through to when they began having families themselves and their children opening the Post Office bank books,” said Denis.
“They have seen many changes over their years behind the counter, but it still remained the ‘ local post office’ to their many loyal and trusted customers. The post office was the centre of their communities and they felt proud that they were contributing to the enhancement of their localities,” he added.
Finbarr O’Regan, chair of the Cork branch of the union and executive member Paddy O’Shea also spoke at the event, praising each of the retirees for their dedicated service and wishing them well for the future.
“They presented each one with a certificate acknowledging their remarkable journey as postmasters and postmistresses and with a vase and a statuette of Cúchulainn on behalf of An Post,” said Denis.