Crossing Patrol Officer receives High Commendation NI Road Safety Awards
Recently retired Castlerock Road crossing patrol office, Mr Tom O’Kane has received a “Highly Commended” award from the Northern Ireland Road Safety
awards in recognition of his commitment to pupil well-being and road safety awareness. Mr O’Kane was presented with his award by Mr Tony McKeown,
Sales and Marketing Director of Crash Services Limited, at Coleraine Grammar School Assembly (Castlerock Road campus) on Wednesday 21st February 2018. Mr O’Kane was the crossing patrol officer on the Castlerock Road for almost ten years. He faithfully ensured that school pupils
from Coleraine Grammar School (formerly Coleraine Academical Institution), DH Christie, Loreto and St. John’s could safely cross the road each
school day, 8.15am-9.15am and 3.15pm-4.15pm, rain hail or shine. Tom is extremely well known by members of the public on the Castlerock Road, in
the town and in the Triangle Area. Prior to becoming crossing patrol officer, Tom served for 20 years as Caretaker and Bus Driver at Mill Strand
Primary School and 25 years before that in hotels in the Triangle area, including the Eglinton Hotel in Portrush. If it has happened in Coleraine
in the last 60 years, Tom could tell you about it; and regularly did! He is a great man for a story and his presence and personality on the Castlerock
will be sorely missed. We thank Tom for his dedication and service looking after our pupils and wish him and his delightful wife Kathleen every
best wish in their much deserved retirement. Tom has been succeeded as Crossing Patrol officer by another well-known Triangle man, Mr Brian Lagan.
Mr Lagan was most recently caretaker at Dominican College for 11 years and also served the community as caretaker at Portrush Catering College
for 18 years before that; we wish him well as he continues to care for the children and young people on the Castlerock Road.