Former Mayo postman getting used to retirement after 48-year career
By Nathan Keane
Michael Brophy, who recently retired after a 48-year career in the Castlebar postal service, is adjusting well to his change of life.
Speaking to The Connaught Telegraph, he revealed: “Retirement has changed my life in a good few ways, and particularly so in the sense that I now can relax.
"I don’t have to set any alarms and I have gotten into a pattern now where I can now rest past say 4:00 or 4:30 in the morning, which is good. I can wait up later at night as well, watching some of the political programmes and documentaries that I never would have seen. I would always wait up for football, however, especially when Manchester City were playing.
“Other than that, my adjustment has been very good.
"While I’m still getting proper sleep, I’ll still be up early in the mornings, out walking, gardening, doing gym work and all different sorts of things.
"Freedom is the word. You’re not under as much pressure to be somewhere. Especially the way the job has gone at An Post.
"The pressure had become immense, taking on extra houses and extra parcels. The pressure is there to do more work, and to do it faster.
“That’s the way it’s gone. The way that deliveries are being done now, it’s like, you leave the parcels at the door and keep going. The personal touch with the person has disappeared.”
When asked to give advice to those who are nearing retirement, Michael remarked: “If you are planning on retiring in the next six to eight months you would want to start planning.
"Make sure you have a plan ahead. Don’t go into retirement without having a plan. Make sure you are going to do some kind of a course, or job, or activity, or take a holiday, or go and visit someone you have been thinking of visiting.
"It’s about positivity, not negativity. Don’t be complaining, saying ‘Oh the weather’. Forget about the weather. If you are thinking about the weather in this country, you won’t go outside the door.
"That’s the main thing that I think catches people. When they say they aren’t going to do something because of the weather: just get out there and do it.
“Get out and get involved. Don't be hanging around the house and turning on the television. For anybody getting into retirement, planning is vital.”
When I asked Michael what he missed most about the job, he told me that was a very easy question for him to answer.
“What I miss about the job is the people,” he said.
“The interconnection with the people was one of the great pleasures I had. Meeting people, having the craic, doing favours for them.
"The most important thing was having time to talk to people, because as I said earlier, that is slightly disappearing from the postal service.
“Because of the pressure, you don’t have the time to socialise. That’s the major thing I miss, not having that connection with people, and hearing their own news.
"You miss the local knowledge of what is going on. You miss going in asking people how they are doing in their recovery, or congratulating them on the birth of a child, or the graduation of a son or daughter. That’s what I miss.”
Talking about his involvement with the trade union movement during his time with An Post, Michael recounted his experience.
“When I went in in 1978, I quickly became assistant treasurer. As it went on, I began to see some very unfair situations in the job, as regards the lack of payment for overtime.
"I remember watching guys out past their time, delivering mail, and not getting paid for it. It aggrieved me somewhat, I thought it wasn’t right. I began asking more questions at union meetings, and investigating it.
"Later, I went to an annual conference, and I got to hear things from other people around the country. Then we went in to approach the boss, and said to him that this wasn’t fair. I always tried to be there for the person who wasn’t looked after fairly.
"It’s important that people make use of their entitlements, such as parental leave. I’m also very proud of the new post office. The transformation from leaving Mountain View.
“We are 14 years gone from there now. We had been looking for a new office since 1998. And finally, after fourteen years, we got it.”
Michael was also keen to discuss a campaign he is involved in, in relation to pensions for retired postmen.
“I have been involved with the POPU (Post Office Pensioners United), for a couple of years, and I attended a few meetings in Claremorris.
"It’s a very unfair system as regards our pensions, it is a very complicated system. The company, unfortunately, is not doing too much about it, and neither is the government.
"We continue to fight that battle on all levels. Since 1984, our pensions have been defined as those of civil servants, but that hasn’t been honoured by the government.
"The situation here is that the old age social welfare pension in this country has seen the increases over the last ten years.
“Let’s just say the post office pension was at €350. Now what’s happening is that the social welfare paid by the government is catching up on that amount.
“The problem is there is no movement on the post office pension compared to the social welfare pension.
"The situation is that by 2030, the people on the social welfare pension will catch up to the post office pension, for people who have worked all their lives. The post office pension is being ignored - the injustice on this issue is very wrong.”
“We continue to campaign,” Michael added, “We continue to meet, and hopefully someday we will get the recognition we deserve. The government just isn't doing enough. The TDs in Mayo have been very poor in supporting us, very very poor. It needs to change.”
To a more optimistic topic, I asked Michael about his passion for photography.
“That started when I was around 18 years old. I went back to England - I was born in Manchester - and I brought a camera with me.
“That’s where my passion for photography began. I was involved with football and athletics from a young age. I was involved with photography for Castlebar Athletics Club for nearly 39 years, and I’m still involved with the Community Games, I have been with them for 28 years.
"I was in Claremorris last Sunday week and it was my 52nd year going to the track in Claremorris. I was the PRO for 25 years with the Community Games."
Finally, I asked Michael if he had any exciting plans, now he has more time on his hands.
“I have a daughter in Australia, who has been there for around 11 years. So hopefully in early 2027 I will make that voyage, and get out to Melbourne and see her.
"I’ve never been out there before, I just didn’t have the time. I would love to go out to America, hopefully to Miami. I have plenty of stuff to do locally too.
"For example I love gardening, and I’m involved with the Castlebar Community Cleanup Group. We do a lot of great voluntary work, and we are also on social media. I’ll probably get some work over the winter period for two or three days a week, especially considering the cost of living.
"Winter can be a tough time, so you’ve got to get out there and do things. An active mind won’t get you into any trouble.”