A trip down memory lane
When Omagh postman, Ian Pentland, brought a copy of the local newspaper, the Ulster Herald, into work and showed his colleagues the photo on page 24, he created quite a stir.
The grainy black and white picture was taken in 1973 and shows Omagh delivery colleagues receiving their safe driving awards at a ceremony at Omagh head post office.
Ian instantly recognised his former friend and colleague, postman Sean McCullagh, who retired two years ago after an incredible 52 years’ service with Royal Mail.
At the time the photo was taken, Sean worked in the Omagh office covering the Gortin area along with the ‘former oldest postie in Northern Ireland,’ Wallace Black, who retired after 50 years with the business, last month.
The photo brought back a flood of memories for Omagh delivery office manager, Paul Devlin, who recognised a number of faces, including postmen Danny Mathers and Gerry Drumm, both of whom he worked with when he joined the Omagh office in 1986.
‘I also remember Seamus McArdle in the middle row who was a CWU rep,’ said Paul. ‘I’m also glad to say that three of Seamus’s sons are currently employed in this office, John, Conor and Fergus. The current unit CWU rep, Albert McFarland’s father, William, is also pictured in the back row. William’s grandson, Andrew, is currently employed as a postman in Omagh.
‘To the extreme left in the back row is workshop mechanic and supervisor, Cyril Monteith, who retired from the Omagh workshop a few years ago. Finally, there are a few other people in the photo who are sadly, no longer with us. They are Leo Doody, Jimmy McLaughlin and Pat Vaughan. Jimmy was a cousin of my late father and I was one of Leo’s neighbours as a child so I know most of his family, who live in the Omagh area.
‘I have no doubt that some of the more senior staff in the office might be able to identify more former colleagues in the photo. I think it’s remarkable that this picture was taken at the platform area to the delivery office yard - we use exactly the same platform some 45 years later.’
