Order of Australia Medal for County Roscommon man
Castlerea native John Bligh is to be presented with an Order of Australia Medal for his services to Australian Rules Football.
A Castlerea native is to be presented with an Order of Australia Medal for his services to Australian Rules Football.
John Bligh, whose name was included on the honours list announced on Australia Day, will be presented with his medal at a special ceremony on Wednesday, April 17th.
A proud member of North Shore Football Club in Geelong, a port city in Victoria, John emigrated to Australia in 1952 when he was just nine years old.
An only child, his parents, Roger and Mary, from Clooncoose, Castlerea, took him to Australia as they sought to make a new life.
He recalls that the family had “a hectic time” when first arriving in Australia spending time in Bonegilla (Victoria) and numerous places in South Australia before placement at a migrant hostel in Geelong. “My parents were looking for better opportunities, especially employment and I am very grateful they chose Australia,” he told the Roscommon Herald.
Growing up, he attended Catholic schools and played cricket and Aussie Rules Football with the other children in the neighbourhood.
He left school at the age of 14 and went to work at Repco, the largest auto parts, and car accessories retailer in Australia where he stayed for 56 years until he retired in 2012. He worked as a sales representative mainly on the road.
He didn’t marry, but he has a large group of close friends whom he regards as family, many of them he met through football.
He returned to Ireland for the first time in 2012 after he retired catching up with relatives in Roscommon, Mayo, and Galway.
John’s relatives in the Castlerea area include Anne, Nathan and Dominic Bligh.
He got involved in Australian Rules Football through his neighbourhood friends. He did play for a period, but found he enjoyed the junior coaching side of the game, which he did for approximately 35 years.
A supporter of his local North Shore Football Club, he has also become a Legend of the Club in its Hall of Fame, life member, junior coach for 35 years, former president and committee member.
Asked what the order of Australia Medal means to him, he said: “The award has meant the world to me, it’s unbelievable and I am overwhelmed. I did not expect recognition for something I loved doing.”
