Posthumous honour for Pat McManus as he is granted Freedom of the City and District

A STRABANE man who became the first NHS worker from the North to die from Covid-19, is to be granted the Freedom of the City and District later this month.

Mr McManus (60) was originally from the Head of the Town area but had relocated to England as a younger man. The father of three had worked as a nurse for the past 40 years and had continued in his role as a frontline care worker, despite suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS), making him vulnerable to the virus. Although he had been offered a managerial role to limit his contact with patients, he opted to continue in the caring role which had been his lifelong vocation.

The proposal to confer the Freedom of the Derry City and Strabane District was prompted by a notice of motion brought before council in June 2020, but any plans were delayed due to Covid restrictions.

Earlier this week a meeting of council’s Governance and Strategic Planning Committee heard that the Freedom of the City and District event is due to take place on February 28 at 2pm, following a decision taken at two special hybrid meetings which will be held consecutively on the same day.

The committee also paid tribute to Mr McManus’s tremendous and selfless dedication to the well-being of others, and his determination to continue that service despite the significant personal risks early in the pandemic.

“I think it a great honour for Derry and Strabane District Council to put this award up for him,” Pat’s brother, Martin said this week. “It was early on in the Covid pandemic when he was allowed to nurse his patients. I didn’t think he would have been allowed with his MS. But myself and all the family are proud of him for what he did.”

It is hoped that, subject to a risk assessment of the Guildhall chamber, members of Mr McManus’s family will be able to attend the meeting, with a Mayoral reception to be held directly afterwards in the Guildhall’s Main Hall.

The man who instigated the motion in 2020, Strabane independent councillor, Paul Gallagher said it is important Mr McManus’s sacrifice is recognised.

“I have to say this took a lot of hard work from council officers because I put forward the motion during a pandemic when it was difficult to deliver the honour,” he said.

“However it was and is important to see this recognition bestowed on Pat. It’s also good for his family to know that his sacrifice has been honoured.”

Also commenting on the posthumous honour, local MLA Daniel McCrossan remarked, “Pat McManus gave over 40 years of service as a nurse in Staffordshire and he gave his life to helping others.

“It is only right that his contribution is acknowledged here locally. Pat and his family are well known in Strabane town and I’m delighted that he is getting this deserved recognition later this month.

“Pat’s late mother Peggy was a former councillor for the SDLP in the old Strabane Council and the family had done a lot to better the lives of people locally.

“Pat continued that work by giving back to his community.”