Interviewed by Gavin Reilly / photos by Emma O’Brien

Gavin: How long have you lived in the area?
Pat: 64 years.

Gavin: What’s a fond memory you have of living here?
Pat: One of my favourite memories was when Dromard won the championship in 1999.

Gavin: Have you seen this community come back from hard times before?
Pat: The 60s was definitely a tough time for going to school as a child. It was often a long journey to walk to school, and the schools had no heating except from the stove in the classroom. The community also went through hard times in the 80s with the recession.

Gavin: What are some things that have helped you through lockdown and what brings you joy?
Pat: Definitely the farm, because I always had something to do. I’m also grateful that I live in the countryside and I could go on walks very often. I couldn’t imagine being stuck in an apartment building or estate during the lockdown.

Gavin: What does community mean to you? What sort of things are you doing now to stay connected to your community and family?
Pat: Community means everything to me. In the past, football would’ve been my way to connect to the community but now I’d say being part of the Men’s Shed is how I stay connected.

Gavin: What message do you want to share for yourself and this community in 10 years time?
Pat: That we can all get back to normality. With covid, the war in Ukraine and everything else going on in the world, hopefully there will be some form of peace in the world in years to come.

Shown below is Gavin’s creative response to his interview with Pat – an amazing drawing of a footballer. Also shown are images from Pat’s shoot with photographer Emma O’Brien.

Pat Jones