PROFILE: Local chef shares his fond Killeigh memories

As part of its efforts to highlight the need for a new community centre on the site of the old Macra Hall in Killeigh, the development committee has been putting together profiles of local people. Paul Bergin is the latest person to be featured:

“I was born and reared in the Meelaghans, Tullamore. My Mam, Margaret Bracken, was from Killeenmore and my Dad was Pe Bergin originally from Ballykeane, Walsh Island.

They met at a local dance in Cappincur and married and settled in the Meelaghans, where I grow up with my younger brother, Kevin, who now lives in Camross, and my sister Imelda who lives in Kilrush, Co Clare.

My Dad, who worked in Bord Na Mona all his life, lost four fingers in an accident a couple of weeks before he got married. When I was a child, Dad was brilliant. He had a gentle heart. Every Sunday, we would go to Mass in Killeigh, I'd get the dinner, Dad would read the papers, and then on we'd go to Portlaoise to see Mam in hospital.

Afterwards it was visiting the Aunties and Uncles, be it Walsh Island or Ballykeane, and then back home that evening - two boiled eggs, two slices of O'Shea's bread, a mug of tea and listening to the GAA results of the day. Growing up, I spent so much time out with my Auntie Carmel and Brendan Buggy's in Coolnahiliy - it was for sure my second home and still is.

My primary school days were spent in Killeigh National School, taking Rich Bryan's bus each morning. The old school was where the GAA club is now. The teachers were Mrs Lawlor, Ms Murphy, Ms Taafe and Mr Higgins who was the principal but I also had the privilege of him also being my next door neighbour. We would have half an hour for lunch and and that was spent hurling.

In 1979, I finished national school which coincided with the Pope John Paul II's visit to Ireland and also the Portlaoise prisoners' escape; 6 or 8 of them escaped if I recall. My granny, Bridget Bracken was living up at Killeenmore at the time and she got a knock on the window one night, which terrified her. She left a couple of weeks later to go live with her daughter Carmel Buggy in Coolnahiliy and never went back.

Frank Hill, from Killeigh actually brought out a song about the prisoners escape with the lines, "Oh the men from Portlaoise prison who had vanished like the snow and now the army and the garda are searching high and low, for the men from Portlaoise prison who had vanished like the snow…."

Secondary school was the CBS in Tullamore. I was delighted to be part of great hurling teams with the school, and won lots of medals. We had great players back then; the boys from Rahan and Mucklagh - Jimmy Minnock, Eamon Buckley, Derek Claffey, Noel Day, Adrian Corcoran, Matt Buckley and Deci Bryant to name a few.

I was sixteen when I did my Leaving Cert. Those days, everyone wanted to become a guard, but that wasn't for me. My Mam had been gone from the home since I was seven years old, and always in hospital, so I took on the role of mother at home.

I'd do the cooking and get the dinner ready but my particular interest at that time was in becoming a priest. I went to three retreats up in Swords and then I had to make my final decision and go down to Waterford. However, it was at the same time as a Leinster hurling schools' final, and I was picked to play midfield, so I chose the hurling match instead.

Bobby Lennon, from down the road was the career guidance teacher in the CBS and he said to me one day, 'Feck it Bergin, why don't ya become a chef?' and that was where it all started.

I headed to Athlone and trained there, picking up Student of the Year, which guaranteed me a place in Athlone Regional Technical College. I remember heading to Athlone each day, I would cycle into town and then hop on to JJ Carroll’s bus. I'd park the bike at the CBS each morning. Looking back, I think I still wanted to be part of the CBS, and parking the bike there each day gave me that.

The hurling in Killeigh back then - there were great men over the teams, such as Mick O Rourke, Pat Donnelly and Dinny Plunkett. I played a little with Offaly too, on the Minor B team.

My hurling days came to an end when I was 19, as my career as a chef took over and it wasn't easy to get time off. I found it hard to make matches and training, but the love of the game never died and I still love nothing more to puck around the small ball with my two boys, Jack and Charlie. I go to as many hurling games as possible all over the country.

I was also involved with the U17B Na Fianna Hurling team winning the Offaly B championship in 2020; that was a proud day for me. The cup that was presented that day to the Na Fianna Hurling team was in memory of the late Kenneth Buggy, my first cousin, and was presented by his Dad, Brendan.

Over the years, my chef career took me all over the world. I started off in the Bridge House Tullamore and from there went to Germany, Scotland and worked for a time on the QE2 (the biggest cruise liner at the time) named after Queen Elizabeth. I met the Queen, but didn't manage to shake hands with her. I have cooked for James Brown, Take That, and the Rangers football team, to name a few.

When I left home for the first time, I was heartbroken, but I dealt with it, gained massive experience, and met many great people along the way.

I remember one evening in Scotland, I went for drive to Campbeltown Mull of Kintyre. I was sitting in the car listening to the radio. Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh came on with the commentary of Offaly vs Kilkenny in the Leinster final of 1995, and from that very moment home called me back.

I returned shortly afterwards and worked in many fine hotels all over the country. When I was in Portmarnock in Dublin, I met my now-wife, Sinead, and, as the saying goes, I never looked back.

Killeigh itself, well, I feel so proud to be part of it. For me, I reflect on when one goes through a local village, either walking or driving and you will see people that were always there, be it Essie Deering out sweeping the path; Joe Plunkett coming from the post office; Brendan O'Rourke crossing over at the traffic lights; or Frank Gorman outside the shop.

My dream or vision is to do something for these people, a place to gather and tell stories, and where better than in a little community centre to cook for them, serve them, spend time with them and tell stories of the past. My job now is to cook for people that know me, and I absolutely love it and feel very special and blessed.

I'm older now and it's the little things that make me happy - cooking Sunday morning breakfast and heading to a match in the afternoon, be it Thurles or wherever, and sitting back with the boys that night watching The Sunday Game.

I love to give and am possibly not great at receiving. I try to stay humble but I like to make a difference without wanting anything in return. Maybe it goes back to all those years ago and my journey on the retreats for the priesthood, it never left me.

I think the greatest thing one can do is to give someone a compliment. It can make difference to their day, and kindness is the greatest gift of all."

* Killeigh Community Centre Development Association needs your support! To be in with a chance of winning a fantastic new three-bedroom house valued at €355,000 or €300,000 in cash, see: www.winahouseinmeath.com The development association's AGM takes place on Tuesday next, November 8, in Killeigh school.