“My two knees are knocking, I’m just blown away by it all,” Lollipop person of the year and Corkman Ger Gleeson said after his win.
The retired firefighter is now hoping for a “double win for Cork” with the hurling final in the coming weeks, he said with a grin.
Mr Gleeson has worked as a much-loved lollipop man at Bunscoil Mhuire in Youghal, Co Cork, since 2015.
His wife died after a long illness almost 11 years ago and the job “did help me cope” with her tragic loss.
“Work keeps the mind going, keeps the body going, and keeps everything going,” he said.
“We married when we were 19 years old. We were together ever since, we were together in the heydays. But she got sick at 43 and died when she was only 56, so she was a very young woman.”
Previously, Mr Gleeson served his local community as a firefighter in Youghal for almost 30 years.
“I had been retired from the local fire service for 12 months when I saw an advert for the lollipop job,” he said.
With “a small few fumes still left in the tank” post-retirement he decided to apply.
“Luckily I got it,” Mr Gleeson said. “I’m there since.
“I have five grandchildren myself and I love them with all my heart. So I get on with kids.
“It’s like a men’s shed sometimes. You meet so many people down there.”
Mr Gleeson was announced the winner in the Tonstix Lollipop person of the year competition at a special ceremony at the school on Monday.
He received a trophy, a plaque and a €1,000 travel voucher.
“Hail, rain or shine,” he’s out there to help the children safely cross the road in the east Cork town every school morning and has developed particular bonds with some of the children in the schools autism classes.
“You need to be sociable,” he said.
“You can’t go to work with a sour face. You have to smile.
All the children know his name and call him Ger.
But one “very special little fella” called Luke who has become a major fan of Mr Geeson’s calls him ‘granddad’.
“He has own little lollipop stick with a ‘stop’ sign on it that his mum and dad made for him. And he has his own lollipop jacket that’s similar to mine.
“He has to watch me every morning and evening.”
“He’s just adorable.
“There are a lot of really special kids there.”
Retirement can be lonely for many people and Mr Gleeson said that a job like this can really keep people connected and engaged in their community.
“It gets you out of the house every morning, keeps you going,” he said.
“I cycle at the weekends and school holidays, the greenway in Waterford is fantastic.
“I’m living close to my grandchildren, they all come down to me nearly every day so I’m lucky.”
