Willie bids farewell to Civil Service
Back from left) Pat Cullotty, Colm McGibney, Tom Crotty, Toss Ryan, Don Sheehan, David Power, Jack Doyle, Tom Reidy, Gerry Coen, Jim Mc Giollycuddy and Michael Hickey. (Front from left) Jim French, Joan Dunne, William Dunne retiring, John Denby.
FELLOW CIVIL SERVANTS at the Department of Agriculture bade farewell to Willie Dunne from Courtnacuddy last week as he moved into retirement. After 45 years in the service of the State, he received a Blackstairs landscape from colleague Jim McGillicuddy at the function in Enniscorthy golf club. And wife Joan was not forgotten, as she was handed a bouquet of flower by Flora Daly to mark the occasion.
A graduate of Ballyhaise agricultural college, Willie Dunne was first deployed in Dundalk and Monaghan when he joined the department, certifying grass seed. He came home to Enniscorthy after a dozen years on the Border, checking cereal standards at the Minch Norton plant in Enniscorthy. Stints grading beef at Slaney Meats and then cattle movement monitoring in Kilkenny followed.
He concluded his career back in Enniscorthy at the Department's district office supervising the single farm payment scheme. He rose to the rank of supervising agricultural officer.
Willie was on familiar territory at the golf clubhouse in Knockmarshal as a former captain and president of Enniscorthy G.C. During the retirement party tributes were paid by Eamonn McDonald, Ger Liston, Tom Reidy and Eamonn Bowe. The attendance included Willie and Joan's offspring Emma, Mark and U.S. resident Tony.
