Paul Mullan: A modest man with a million pound mission

If you ask anyone who knows Paul Mullan, they’ll likely say the same thing: He’s a modest man with a heart dedicated to helping others.

But don’t let his self-description as a ‘plain Jane’ fool you – Paul’s impact on the community has been far from plain.

Over the past 16 years, Paul, alongside his wife Rosemarie and daughter Sarah-Jane, has raised over £1.1 million for various charities through their fundraising group, Strictly by M Dancin’. The trio has become a powerhouse in local charity work, and their efforts have resonated far beyond Strabane, even earning national recognition.

Paul’s charitable journey began at St. Patrick’s Hall in Strabane, a venue close to his heart. When regular mid-week dances at the hall started to wane, Paul felt a deep sense of loss for the community spirit those events had fostered. It was then that he had a light bulb moment.

Inspired by the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, he decided to bring a similar event to Strabane, sparking the creation of Strictly by M Dancin’. The ‘M’ in the title, representing the Mullan family name, signified their deeply personal commitment to the project.

“I’ve always been involved in St Pat’s Hall and our local community,” he said. “We were running a mid-week dance in St Pat’s Hall and they kind of stopped. We were thinking how can we get this back again and coincidentally Strictly Come Dancing started on the TV so I had a notion that we could replicate that idea and run a Strictly Come Dancing competition in Strabane and it turned out to be a great success.”

The event was such a big hit with the locals that the fundraising campaign just took root from then on. Paul explained, “The first year was a roaring success; it has snowballed from there and we have been doing it ever since. We have since moved on from doing just the dancing. We now do all sorts of fundraising activities, things like the Knockavoe mountain climb, virtual bazaars, monthly draws, night at the races and coffee mornings.”

Their extraordinary impact has not gone unnoticed. Earlier this year, Paul, Rosemarie, and Sarah-Jane were named in the King’s Birthday Honours list for their charitable work, receiving a British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to the community. This recognition from the highest level of society underscores just how influential the Mullan family’s efforts have been, but true to his humble nature, Paul is quick to brush aside any notions of grandeur. “It’s definitely nice to be recognised,” he says, “but that’s not why we do it.”

Awards aside, the Mullan family has also been honoured with several other accolades over the years, including the Special Recognition award at the Spirit of Northern Ireland Awards and the Pride of Strabane Award. For Paul, these awards are merely a byproduct of a mission grounded in genuine compassion. The real reward, he says, lies in the ability to help others in need. “Everyone needs a bit of help along the way, and we’re able to do it. So while we can, we’ll continue to do so.”

Paul’s gratitude for the people of Strabane and surrounding areas is also profound.

“The support in the community is absolutely second to none. I cannot praise them enough. Local people are very generous with their money. Anything I run they support. Anything I ask they are the first to put their hands in their pockets. So too are the local businesses we receive a lot of sponsorship from them, they never say no. They have never refused me anything anytime I’ve asked for something.

“I’m always very keen to take the opportunity to thank the people of Strabane and surrounding area for their generosity.”

While most families spend evenings discussing the next show to watch or planning their next holiday, the Mullan family’s conversations revolve around brainstorming their next big fundraising project.

For Paul, his work is simply a matter of helping where he can. Modest to the core, he shies away from taking much credit for the extraordinary work he and his family have done.

“I’m just a simple office worker who likes to help others,” he says. “There’s nothing too exciting about me.”

But for the people of Strabane, Paul Mullan is a lot more than a simple office worker. He’s a reminder that kindness, dedication, and community spirit can change lives, one small step – or one grand dance competition – at a time.