Volunteering
Volunteer Profile: Paddy Loughnane Paddy Loughnane is a voluntary management committee member of Thurles Action for Community Development CDP, based in Co. Tipperary. What are you reading at the moment? The Tipperary Star and I’m on the computer at the moment too, that’s reading. I’m reading a book called ‘Memories of Scoil Alba 1949-1999’. It’s about where I went to school. What’s the last film you saw? I don’t really watch movies. I don’t even watch telly. The last movie I watched was ‘The Warriors’ about gang-wars in New York in the 1970s. Person you most admire? My wife, Mairead. She helped me change from what I was to what I am. Outside the family home, I’d admire the late Pope John Paul II. I went to see him in 1979 and was amazed to see how thousands of people turned out to see one man in the hope they could make a change in their lives. When he was shot he went into the jail to forgive that person. I’m not a religious man but he’s a fella I had to admire. The top 4 issues in Ireland today? Number one is the environment, global warming and so on. Number two is the recession and it’s hitting a lot of people in this neck of the woods. People are outspending their incomes and giving their children the habit of having everything they want. I wonder will the children cope when they grow up. Number three is hidden standards, like the Church record, Bertie’s record. If an ordinary man did what Bertie done he’d be doing time. There’s no equality. We need more …… …volunteers to try and build the communities and the towns because to be honest the politicians only talk about it. They just put the red tape in front of us. And opportunities: People who have lifelong experience working voluntary with people on the street should be given an equal chance at jobs as people with degrees. We need less …… … red tape in organisations. A lot of volunteers have great ideas, they send the changing ireland
ideas up the line, but they can’t go further because of red tape and bureaucracy. Volunteers do put a lot in but they get drained by the politics of Community Development. How long are you working with the CDP? A year and a half. Before this, I was with other groups. How and why did you get involved? I felt people like us were needed to bring back the community spirit to Thurles. We’ve built a lovely community back around us again. We got Loughtagalla Park back up and running for example. Ten years ago, the older people were trying to close it down after vandalism and anti-social behaviour. We formed a new committee and I brought in six teenagers to make their points and they formed into a sub-committee and they worked with the older people. Everyone listened. Instead of breaking trees, the young people are now planting them. What difference has being involved made to you? I’m on a few boards of management at the moment, but I’d rather not be, I’m more a man of the street. I give people on the streets time. I’d sit down with the winos and ask them what can we do
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together. Have things changed for (your community, eg women, older people) today? The community has become a little stronger now and we look out for each other more. The older people are respected now and we don’t leave them put up with hassle. And we give the young people an equal voice. What motivates you as a volunteer? My own background. I’ve seen both sides of the law. How do you get new volunteers? Well, they’re trying to start a Tidy Towns committee here and they advertised a meeting in a hotel. I said, ‘Why are ye calling meetings in a hotel?’ We have to go into the housing estates and meet people there and they’re doing that now. They’re meeting with residents on the streets and that’s the best place to go. You need to show your face. • For more information about Thurles Action for Community Development, contact them at: TACD Ltd, Kickham St, Thurles, Co. Tipperary. T: 0504-90666. E: tacd@eircom.net
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