Mura gets ready for retirement!

 

In just over one weeks’ time, our village will have another retiree. A retiree who has given so much to Muff.

He moved to Muff from neighbouring Fahan in 1989. Although working in the village prior to this, Mura McLaughlin has long since established himself as a permanent fixture, community member and one of the hardest working members of Muff village.

Mura was a Customs Man from 1981 through to 1992. He then proceeded on a career with Irish Life. In the early 90’s Mura began volunteering in the village and was always there to lend a hand at the preparation and delivery of festivals and more. And of course you could find him on the dramatic stage too.

In 2007 Mura began working with what is now Muff Community Development. And in 2011 he became manager there. Mura has a team of committee members behind him and a team of workers alongside him, but he himself has been instrumental in much of the development that has taken place in our community in the past 25 years.

The fabulous floral hanging baskets don’t just appear and hang themselves. Funding is sourced, applied for and accounted for before any such thing is done. And that is just one of the small things.

Muff Community Playpark and the MUGA space have transformed life in this area for young people and families. It took years of fundraising, management, funding after funding applications and dedication to ensure these spaces came to be. Mura was there at the helm at all times, leading these developments. Few people know (unless directly involved in committees or community partnerships) of the work involved in funding applications. Few people know how difficult it is to raise and collect money for these projects. Mura never gave up in his determination to get these spaces for Muff village.

A family man, he ensured his entire household helped in much of the work he has done. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, and his son Oisín now too carries out much fundraising through his work and in his own time, and is a very active community volunteer and activist. That all stems from the leadership he found in his father, Mura.

Being at the helm of such work carries with it much discomfort and unease, public abuse, condemnation and criticism. I’m sure there’s no doubt Mura met his fair share of it right here at times. And still he carried on with his sheer determination to build and develop Muff village.

Our village really is a much better place thanks to the work and the passion that Mura McLaughlin has for it, and for the people here. To say ‘thanks’ is such an understatement. But rest assured Mura, we do appreciate all that you have done for the village, and your successor has very big boots to fill.

From everyone in Muff, thank you Mura for your dedicated work and service to Muff. We wish you a very long, happy and healthy retirement, and I don’t doubt we will continue to see you helping keep our village great.

Don’t pass this man in the coming days and weeks without saying ‘thank you’. Mura, to retirement and more, enjoy.

GMcC