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April 26 – May 30, 2024
FOOD, HEALTH & LIFESTYLE
Funding for upgrades to West Cork Walking Trails granted
Peadar Noonan joins Bantry Credit Union as Lending and Business Development Manager
I t’s an ill-wind that blows nobody any good. So the saying goes. Bantry Credit Union CEO Finbarr O’Shea quoted it when explaining a re- cent senior addition to the credit union’s staff. In February, Peadar Noonan joined the credit union as Lend- ing and Business Development Manager. Until last November, Peadar worked for Ulster Bank, and if the bank hadn‘t decided to exit the Irish market, he would still be there. But, to quote Finbarr, Ulster Bank’s loss was Bantry Credit Union’s gain. From Dunmanway, Peadar has 25 years’ experience work- ing in retail banking in West Cork. After spending nearly 10 years with Permanent TSB and First Active in Clonakilty and Bandon, Peadar moved to Ulster Bank in 2009. During the next 15 years he did everything within the branch operations, from Customer Advisor to Branch Manager in the Bandon branch. Then in 2015 he moved into a new role with Ulster Bank as Mobile Mortgage Man- ager. He built a thriving mort-
members. It really matters to the staff and they show this in everything they do every day.” Bantry Credit Union has evolved in the past decade from a traditional savings and loans institution to be a provider of a wide range of retail financial products and services. The focus is still on loans – the word ‘credit’ is still over the door and remains the reason the credit union exists. But the range of loans and the means by which they are delivered has expanded greatly in recent years. For Bantry, like many other credit unions, the next big projects are mortgages and current accounts. Bantry Credit Union is committed to offering these products as part of two national credit union collab- orative ventures: a Mortgage CUSO and the Payac payments platform. They are significant undertakings that will take time and will require expertise and experience. Peadar’s long career in retail banking makes him an ideal candidate to lead these projects in the credit union. As Finbarr said, it’s an ill-wind…
Peadar Noonan
F unding has been made available for enhance- ments to the Sheep’s Head Way Trail, Whiddy Island Trail and the Bere Island Trail. Commenting, Deputy Christopher O’Sullivan said, “More and more people are visiting West Cork to enjoy the safe and well-marked walking trails. It is something that is growing in West Cork and is becoming a bigger part of our tourism offering.” “I have visited Bere Island twice now in the last number of months and regularly you will meet people from all corners of the globe walking the trails there. This is all contributing to the local economy. I want to congratulate the development groups involved in the Sheep’s
Head Way, Whiddy Island and Bere Island Trails for the trojan work that they do in maintain- ing and promoting these trails.” Funding of €8,825 to Sheep’s Head Way Trail will cover Improvements and sig- nage, updating and improving trail at Gortnakilla and Funeral Path and upgrade of signage on the trail. €8,825 Funding of €9,760 for Whiddy Island is for enhance- ment works including creating a picnic area. The Bere Island Trail received €9,999 for improve- ments including replacing the signage at Ardnakinna, West Island Loop, Doonbeg Loop, Rerrin Loop and Lonehart Loop.
gage book from scratch, based largely on his people skills, his professional knowledge and his track record of delivering. Not one to naturally go looking for change, Peadar says he was initially a bit concerned at bridging the gap from retail banking to working in the credit union sector. But he quickly
came to appreciate and enjoy the special features of credit unions: their personal touch, their commitment to going the extra mile for their members, their belief in their members and their community. Peadar says, “What strikes me most is the knowledge and care that the credit union staff have for the
www.bantrycu.ie Loans are subject to approval. Terms and conditions apply. If you do not meet the repayments on your loan, your account will go into arrears. This may affect your credit rating which may limit your ability to access credit in the future. Credit Unions in Ireland are regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.
Bantry Greenify Homeowners Maria Collard & Matt Keane
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