Tullamore resident honoured for over 40 years of voluntary service

Tullamore resident John Flanagan was recently honoured for giving 44 years of voluntary service to the National Irish Safety Organisation (NISO), a voluntary organisation which promotes safety in the workplace.

The Midlands branch committee of NISO organised an event in the Bridge House Hotel to pay tribute to their past chairperson on his retirement.

John who lives in Arden Heights, Tullamore has been the powerhouse behind NISO in the Midlands for many years. He worked for DEW in his earlier years, and later for Offaly County Council.

His association with NISO began in 1978, as a member of the DEW NISO safety quiz team.

DEW, along with Arlington Jewels and Bord na Móna, were the three teams to reach the final that year. Soon after that, John became the treasurer of the regional branch and he annually prepared and ran the regional quiz since then.

John has been the Chairperson of the region and has been on the National Executive committee for the past 20 years.

He organised many activities locally to promote work safety each year including meetings, seminars, courses, safety awards ceremonies and safety quizzes across the region, in Tullamore, Mullingar, Athlone and Longford.

John is a proud Clonaslee man, and in his spare time since retiring from Offaly County Council, he has authored a couple of books on his home place in the Slieve Blooms.

There to honour him after a meal the Bridge House were the national chairperson of NISO Mr Harry Galvin (ex-Aer Lingus, Dublin), treasurer Mr Bertie Guinan (Ferbane /ex-ESB Shannonbridge), secretary Ms Mary Rooney (Abbott, Longford), vice chairperson Ms Chris Mc Cormack (ex-TUS Athlone), and incoming chairperson Sean Reidy (TUS Athlone).

The committee presented John with a specially commissioned Bog Oak sculpture prepared by the Celtic Roots Studio, Ballinahown, a watch, and a bouquet of flowers for his wife, Winfred.

The committee all wish John many years of health and happiness in the years ahead for himself, Winfred, sons Kevin and Dermot, and the extended Flanagan family.

NISO is a voluntary organisation with charitable status which promotes safety in the workplace by organising meetings, seminars, courses, safety awards ceremonies and safety quizes locally and nationally.

Next year it will celebrate the 60th anniversary of its foundation and for more than 50 of those years it's had a presence in the Midlands.

Locally, it runs a 12-week long NISO certificate course on Health and Safety in TUS twice a year. The next course will begin in early February 2023. For more details, see: www.niso.ie