Retired Omagh Sea Captain takes over the helm of Rotary organisation in Ireland

AFTER many years at the helm on the high seas, an Omagh man now looks forward to steering the Rotary organisation in Ireland to further success and growth in his role as District Governor.

Aged 64, Sean Fitzgerald is the third member of the Rotary Club of Omagh in its 60 – plus year history to hold the prestigious position, following in the footsteps of the late Captain Nelson Rountree (1974-1975) and the late Mr Gussie Hynds (1994-1995), stalwarts of the organisation for many years.

Born in Kilrush, Co. Clare where his father was stationed as a garda officer and subsequently transferred to Limerick and then Naas, where Sean spent his early years until he started his career at sea at the age of 18.

His education was at the Christian Brothers’ School, Naas and later in Jordanstown Polytechnic (University of Ulster) and National Maritime College and Institute, Cork where he completed his Masters. At the Maritime Academy he attained his Diploma in ship surveying.

Following his marriage to Omagh native Rev Elizabeth (Liz) Pollard in 1983, they settled in her home town two years later at which time Liz was working as a physiotherapist in Enniskillen and subsequently in Omagh.

Following early retirement from her role as a specialist paediatric physiotherapist, Liz was ordained as a minister in the Church of Ireland and currently is Bishop’s Curate in Gweedore and Temple Crone (aka Bunbeg, Dungloe and Carrickfin) Co. Donegal.

Liz is also an active member of the Rotary organisation having served as president of the Omagh club among other roles and currently serves as the District Secretary in Ireland.

The couple have a son, John (30) who has currently returned to college as a mature student in Magee College, Derry, doing a BSc in Computer Science.

Sean commenced his career with British Petroleum in 1974 as a deck officer cadet trading worldwide.

“During this time I enjoyed a variety of cultures from Persian Gulf to South Africa, being on one of the first tankers to transit Suez Canal after it reopened in 1975,” he said.

“I then worked for Rowbotham Tankships trading around Europe with chemicals and refined oils. One of the memorable trips was to Venice with chemicals,” he added.

“Following on from this I was offered a position as 2nd Officer in a new ferry company ‘Belfast Freight Ferries’ which over the years was acquired by numerous companies such as Maersk and DFDS culminating in Stena Line. During this period I rose to the position of Senior Master (Captain) finally retiring in June this year after almost 48 years at sea,” he continued.

Sean is also owner and principal surveyor of JMF Surveys Ltd, specialising in small boat surveys. “This keeps me from getting bored now that I am retired,” he said.

On the Rotary front, Sean joined the Omagh Club in 1999 where he says he enjoyed a warm and friendly welcome and got involved in various community and charity projects which the club runs.

“Being a seafarer I did not work in the town so it allowed me to become more part of the community. A big part of my Rotary life has been meeting and making friends. In my profession you are separated from shore life for extended periods.

"Rotary helped me keep this vital connection with normality. I was also able to join other Rotary clubs whenever time allowed in different ports in which I was based,” Sean said.

Among memorable experiences during his time in Rotary Sean recalls spending two days on the streets of Omagh collecting for Haiti appeal to provide shelter boxes for those much in need and being a volunteer at the Omagh Covid vaccination centre being able to help others at a time when the whole community was at its most vulnerable.

Sean has held a number of Rotary positions both locally and at Ireland district level including Omagh club president and District membership convenor before now taking on the top role.

In encouraging people to get involved in Rotary, Sean said that it is an organisation which through friendship and fellowship allows one to make positive change to the world and people you care about.

“Rotary provides me with a family of friends who together are changing lives for the better.

All of this changes our lives as Rotarians making us feel more fulfilled in the knowledge that we can help others at home and abroad through various charity projects.”

Looking to the future the new district governor said, “I would like to see Rotary foundation projects grow where we help communities worldwide in providing sanitation, health care, education, conflict resolution and good environmental practices to give them a positive future.”

He went on to say that it is important to raise the public profile of Rotary and expand membership.

He added: “Rotary worldwide is more relevant than ever as its core aims are to promote fairness and equality for all. In the current circumstances with conflict in Ukraine, drought in Ethiopia, war in Yemen, deforestation in the Amazon, the list is endless.

"We have the people with ideas, programmes and knowledge to make the changes needed to start solving these problems where governments cannot. We have the means to work at ground level with the people who are worst affected.

“Our current members have a great wealth of knowledge and expertise. We need to inspire and enthuse our current membership to share this with others by becoming more involved with our young people and our local communities. This will improve our profile and result in growth in membership.”

The Rotary club of Omagh, which currently meets on Thursdays fortnightly for lunch meetings at 1pm in the Silverbirch Hotel, has congratulated Sean on his appointment as District Governor and wishes him every success in the year ahead. “It is a great honour for the Omagh club to have one of its members serve in this important position in the organisation,” said a spokesperson.