NVW – Volunteer Patrick Farrell
21 May, 2025As part of National Volunteer week we were delighted to speak with one of our longest serving volunteers Patrick Farrell about his experiences and the skills he has gained from volunteering with Ballina Credit Union
Patrick Farrell, a native of Killala, began his education at Cooneal National School before continuing on to Moyne College. Following his studies, he joined R. Barrett & Co., where he worked diligently for over 25 years. More recently, Patrick served as a caretaker at Behy National School.
In 2011, Patrick came across an advertisement in the local newspaper seeking volunteers for Ballina Credit Union. Inspired by a desire to give back to his community, he attended the meeting—and never looked back. Starting as a volunteer, he was appointed as a Director the following year.
Reflecting on his early days with the Credit Union, Patrick recalled, “It was very different when I joined—we didn’t have the asset size we have now, loans were smaller, and at the time, members were expected to have one-third of the amount they were applying for in shares.” Since then, Patrick has witnessed remarkable growth within the organisation, which now employs 16 people and has an asset size of over 100 million.
He also noted that during this time there were also considerable regulatory changes within the financial sector, while this brought an additional workload, it also brought valuable opportunities. “With the changes came excellent opportunities for learning and networking. The great thing about the Credit Union is that we’re a community with a shared goal—providing the best support and service for our members.”
Patrick has attended national AGMs, which he describes as another great way to connect and exchange ideas with peers from across the country.
Over the years, Patrick has served on several key committees, including Credit Control, Nominations, Investment, and Marketing. After his term as a Director, he returned to volunteering and has continued to work tirelessly to promote Ballina Credit Union through a variety of events.
He is also a proud champion of the annual Art Competition, which last year alone drew nearly 200 entries, and the popular School Quiz, where 47 teams competed at the local level.
For Patrick, the most rewarding aspects of volunteering are giving back to the community, meeting new people, and engaging in continuous training.
His dedication and passion remain an inspiration to all involved with Ballina Credit Union.
Find out how you can volunteer with Ballina Credit Union by clicking here