Died: December 1, 2020. AT A very early stage in his working life Michael O’Mahony, who has died at the age of 78, joined the Fire Brigades Union. He rose to become the Chairman of D Division within Strathclyde FBU and a leading light in the 1977 national firefighters’ dispute. As the union itself has remarked, the Labour government of the time never really believed that the dispute would happen, but it did. And for nine weeks in the midwinter, striking firefighters huddled round braziers outside fire stations, putting the case for improved conditions of pay and other important aspects of what is, after all, a dangerous profession. All of this was driven by need not greed. Soldiers equipped with Green Goddesses – Civil Defence tenders – responded to many fires.
Michael O’Mahony, born August 23, 1942, passed away aged 78 on Tuesday, December 1. Michael started as an apprentice painter 1958 in Glasgow and married his wife Marie in February 1963 and moved to stay in Irvine in 1965. He was father of two children, Marie and Michael, who he doted on. He joined the Fire Service in 1966 starting in Ardrossan Station continuing in Irvine North and before retiring from Kilmarnock Station with the rank of Station Officer in 1996 undertook staff training at Cowcaddens Station He was awarded the MBE in 1995 for all the good work undertaken throughout his career. It was presented to him by the Queen at Buckingham Palace, which he was immensely proud of. Colleagues all agreed he thoroughly deserved such an honour.