Congratulations to Mr. Pat Holahan (Chief Technician, School of Psychology, TCD) from all of his colleagues in the School on his award of Honorary Fellowship from the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI). This award was announced and presented to Mr. Holahan at the recent PSI Conference in November 2014. The following is an extract from the Special Feature on the Annual PSI Conference in the Irish Psychologist (December 2004/January 2015):
Honorary Fellowship Awarded to Patrick Holahan
Pat Holahan, as he is known to all his friends and colleagues, or
Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Holahan as those familiar with his time
in the FCA call him, can rightly be described as a true stalwart of the
Psychological Society of Ireland. Pat joined the Society in the early
1980s having completed his degree in psychology as a mature student
and quickly became an active member. Few, including Pat, might have
predicted just how active he would be and how much distinguished
service he would give to the Society over the ensuing years.
It is often said that Pat practically ran the Society from his garage before
the Society moved into its own premises and, although this is partly
apocryphal, it is true that Pat lived above the shop for several years. So
long has been Pat’s service to the Society that even he is unsure about
precisely when he first joined the PSI Conference Committee, but the
best guess is that Pat has been involved in the organization of the PSI
Annual Conference for 30 years.
Pat has also served two double terms as Honorary Treasurer and is
the longest serving Council member in the Society’s history, having
served a total of twelve years and six months. During his time as
Treasurer Pat shepherded the Society’s finances on behalf of members
through thick and thin – good years and bad – and including the
deepest economic downturn in Ireland since the great depression.
Council will remain forever grateful for Pat’s skill as Treasurer and the
resulting confidence and reassurance this has provided to Council
over so many years.
Pat has given truly outstanding service to PSI and is without doubt one
of its most distinguished members. It was therefore to the great joy of all
present at the 2014 Annual Conference Gala Dinner that President Paul
D’Alton awarded Patrick Holahan an Honorary Fellowship, and indeed
the first Honorary Fellowship awarded to a member of the Society, for
his outstanding contribution to the Psychological Society of Ireland.