PADDY GRIFFIN:PADDY GRIFFIN, Paddy to his legion of friends and business acquaintances, was born in 1930 at Ballindud on the edge of Waterford city. He was an entrepreneur, inventor, passionate conservationist, beloved husband, father, family man, and was widely known in business circles across the country, living all his long life in his native spot.
He was deeply proud of his native county and especially loved Waterford city but this never prevented him from appreciating the people and surrounding counties of Kilkenny, Wexford and Tipperary. Griffin believed in regional unity and that Waterford city had to bring these areas together for the southeast region to achieve the kind of economic growth and sustainable economy of which he knew it was capable.
His early schooling was at Castletown National School near Ballindud and at Mount Sion CBS. A shy man who shunned public speaking and public profile, he was a determined advocate of his native city and possessed great personal charm and charisma. He loved the Irish language, invention and change. Griffin’s interests were legion. Machinery design, manufacture and performance were of special interest to him and he had a genuine appreciation of artisanal and professional skill.
He first worked in Waterford Flour Mills which sparked a life- long interest in mills. His entrepreneurial drive could not be contained and he left secure employment to make his own way in life.
Griffin excavated the foundations for his family home. He mixed and made the concrete blocks which provided an introduction to pre-cast concrete. He established Pre Cast Products Ltd in the early 1960s and it quickly became a leader in that field.
The company was an excellent employer which supplied pre-cast products to many of the country’s largest local authorities, construction and utility firms. It had a long relationship with Telecom Éireann and was highly respected for the quality of its work.
A business partnership with the late Tom FitzGerald saw the foundation of Waterford Waste Paper Ltd, which specialised in the recycling of high quality paper. Thereafter came Waterford Utility Services Ltd, and Déise Hire Ltd. The former was among the earliest operators in Ireland of the now ubiquitous waste collection skips and the latter among the first in Ireland to offer tool and building equipment hire.
He subsequently branched out into engineering with Mill Sections Ltd and Metalman Engineering Ltd. Griffin was a long- time member of the board of Waterford Chamber of Commerce but declined its presidency on several occasions.
As a member of Waterford Harbour Board and later of the Port of Waterford Company he understood the port’s importance to the economic wellbeing of the city and the region. He was heavily involved with Irish Small and Medium Enterprises locally and nationally and his opinions were respected and widely sought.
He was a nationalist and republican, by inclination at home in Fianna Fáil. Griffin stood for election in the 1950s for Clann na Poblachta without success. Disillusionment with Charles Haughey led to an early association with the Progressive Democrats. The Waterford constituency branch owed much to his support and he was held in great personal regard by Dessie O’Malley and Mary Harney.
Griffin loved the land and its produce. At home he could be found in the garden with his hens and vegetables. He admired the work of EF Schumacher and understood that “small is beautiful”, especially loving nature, and trees.
He restored the historic water mill race and mill wheel at Ballindud and was very proud when the research of the late Dr Niall Byrne showed the mill had been established by the knights templar. As a former national council member of An Taisce and founder, committee member and chairman of its Waterford association, this brought him into conflict with friends and colleagues in the Construction Industry Federation and wider business circles. He ably defended his position.
Griffin was appalled at the destruction of historic Waterford in the 1960s and 1970s and was involved in many campaigns including those which saved the portico of Waterford Court House, the Holy Ghost Hospital and 33 The Mall from demolition. He had an early involvement with Make Waterford Beautiful Committee. Griffin hated dirt and litter and was often seen with volunteers such as Frank McDonagh and the late Murdo Ross cutting grass or picking litter in unloved parts of the city centre. This led to the establishment of Waterford Civic Trust of which he was founding and long-time chairman.
His work to bring anti-litter campaigns to schools, business and residents associations attracted sponsorship from the ESB and Waterford City Council.
Griffin’s part in the restoration of the 15th-century Beach Tower in 1995 was recognised when he welcomed then president of Ireland and patron of Waterford Civic Trust, Mary Robinson, to open the completed work.
As a member of the board of Waterford Chamber he supported the 1985 Bannon report on a technological university for Waterford which led to the establishment of the Waterford University Action Group under late mayor Liam Curham. Subsequent work with a dedicated committee did much to bring the need for university status to the forefront of Waterford public life.
He loved good food, conversation and company. In early life he was an active and competitive member of Waterford Cycling Club and during the 1950s toured Europe on a bicycle with friends. This gave him a great love of international travel. He particularly enjoyed his annual visits to the south of France and believed that travel broadened the mind.
Griffin is survived by his wife Margaret (Peig, née Robinson) of Callan, Co Kilkenny, who he married in 1955 and by sons and daughters Fionnuala, Niall, Pádraig, Mairéad and Sinéad.
Paddy Griffin: born, July 28th, 1930; died, March 21st, 2012