Martin McHale: Martin McHale, who has died aged 71, was a senior executive at the Irish Glass Bottle Company whose charitable activities included founding the landmark bottle bank recycling centre at Merrion Gates in Co Dublin.
Martin McHale was reared in Phibsboro, Dublin, and finished his secondary schooling in St Vincent's CBS in Glasnevin. He began his working life in the Irish Sugar Company, then joined the Irish Glass Bottle Company in 1956. Meanwhile, as a part-time student at UCD, he acquired BA and B.Comm degrees. He became assistant secretary in IGB, later general secretary, a position he maintained until his retirement in 1995.
He was a deep-thinking man with wide interests, and enthused about all of them. As a youth, he dabbled in amateur radio, and he indulged his passion for motor-cycling with frequent trips with friends to the Isle Of Man TT races throughout the 1950s.
His love of boating was spawned in early youth by his Mayo father, who had been reared amid currach fishing boats long before becoming a Garda sergeant. As a youngster, Martin watched his father and a friend build a currach in Phibsboro and later enjoyed trips in it around Portmarnock.
Martin's real measure was reflected in his altruistic side. In the mid- 1960s, he became involved with the Simon Community and made many late-night soup-runs to the inner city to aid the homeless.
In 1973 he founded the Shelter Referral bottle bank at Merrion gates. Here, he employed men below the poverty line to produce ground glass to sell for industrial recycling. The business continues today.
In the late 1970s, his thoughts turned to other social needs. With the able assistance of his equally socially conscious wife Maura, he founded Ballyogan House, a centre where single mothers could find independence by contributing to home-made jam manufacture and its distribution to retail outlets. The centre continued until about 1983.
About this time, he began a garage sale in George's Avenue, Blackrock, Co Dublin. It was essentially a household goods recycling enterprise. Good quality household items contributed by the public were sold there, and this helped to fund Shelter Referral. The garage sales continued until 1998.
Down the years, Maura began to suffer badly from arthritis and was finding little relief through conventional medicine. This prompted Martin to explore holistic medicine, reflexology in particular, in an effort to help her. Eventually, with a combination of diet, vitamin treatment and Martin's new-found holistic skills, Maura's condition eased considerably. He continued studying, then practising and finally teaching reflexology, making many friends in the process.
About six years ago, Maura lost her eyesight but Martin devoted himself to her care, while still managing to attend to his healing activities, as well as help oversee Shelter Referral. His dedication to Maura's well-being continued up to his own unexpected passing. His legacy is one of selflessness and compassion for others. He is survived by Maura, their children Martha and Paul, and granddaughter Molly.
Martin McHale: born June 28th, 1936; died November 28th, 2007