Diocesan News
Diocesan Administrator appointed for Tuam, Killala and Achonry
Tuam, Killala and Achonry has new team member. Mrs Heather Pope has been appointed to the recently created post of Diocesan Administrator.
This post is an amalgamation of two former posts. The first was that of Diocesan Secretary which has been held by the inimitable Heather Sherlock for the past 23 years of outstanding and selfless service for which we thank her enormously. The second was the position of Diocesan Treasurer, occupied for the last number of years by Prof. Paul Ryan. Paul helped TKA greatly during a transition period when a new financial scheme was introduced and for that we are very much in his debt.
So who is Heather Pope, Our Diocesan Administrator? The Dean of Tuam, Killala and Achonry (the Very Revd Alistair Grimason) drank coffee with her and discovered a small bit about what makes her tick.
Heather Pope is a native of Donegal. She is married to Ciarán, has three adult children and lives on the western outskirts of Galway City. Educated in The Royal and Prior School, Raphoe, (doing very well in The Leaving) she went on to do a secretarial course there and thence to work locally in the insurance business and as a secretary in a firm of Solicitors. Having spent some time living in Sligo, Heather, Ciarán and the family moved to Galway in 1994. For a while she worked from home in the field of interior design, though Heather herself says of this, ‘I made curtains’.
As time went on and her children grew, Heather branched out into more formal employment. She worked for MS Ireland and had an accounting position with an engineering firm. She also ‘does the books’ for the family business, Absolute Mortage Ltd. and also finds time to act as financial consultant to other firms.
Heather is a member of St. Nicholas’ Parish, Galway, where she has held the position of Rector’s Churchwarden (2007) and has been Parish Treasurer since 2008 to the current day.
When it comes to Heather Pope ‘the person’, that which defines her and is her heart and soul is the Samaritans organisation. Heather has been intimately involved with Samaritans for many years and has held several senior positions with them. Her commitment to this organisation is unwavering.
On a lighter but no less revealing note, here’s a little of the conversation between Dean Alistair and Heather:
Dean: What are your hobbies?
Heather: Travel. And food, eating it and cooking it. My favourite restaurants are Kai and the Kitchen Café, both in Galway.
Dean: What is your favourite place that you have visited and the place you least liked?
Heather: Favourite is Venice. Least favourite is Torremolinos. I’m not sure I should have admitted to visiting Torremolinos!
Dean: What is your favourite music?
Heather: U2 and Take That.
Dean: What makes you laugh?
Heather: My family, my dogs (Heather has a golden retriever and a cockapoo) and my dad.
Dean: What really annoys you?
Heather: People who say they will do something and then don’t do it.
Dean: What book are you currently reading?
Heather: ‘I Found my Tribe’ by Ruth Fitzmaurice.
Heather will take up her position on 1st October and we look forward to working with her for many years.
Communications Officer, Tuam, Limerick & Killaloe
089 448 9353
Stephen Fletcher
comms@tlk.ie