TRIBUTES have been paid to Dublin-born Councillor Pat Karney, whose decades of public service helped shape Manchester while he remained a proud supporter of the city’s Irish community.
The Labour politician died on October 13, aged 78, after receiving treatment for cancer at The Christie.
Karney moved from Dublin to Manchester at the age of nine and went on to become one of its most recognisable public figures. He represented Harpurhey from 1979 and was the longest-serving sitting member of Manchester City Council.
Although widely associated with Manchester’s transformation, he maintained strong connections with his Irish roots and played a prominent part in the city’s Irish Festival.
His career spanned almost half a century of change, from the challenges facing Manchester’s neighbourhoods to the reconstruction and growth of its city centre.
Karney was a pivotal figure in regeneration following the 1996 IRA bombing, chairing the City Centre Committee established to oversee the rebuilding.
As the council’s city centre spokesman, he championed businesses, attractions and public events, while speaking out when he believed improvements were needed.
He was also the driving force behind Manchester Day, the annual celebration first held in 2010, and became closely associated with the Christmas markets and festive celebrations.
His willingness to don colourful jumpers and embrace publicity to promote the city earned him the affectionate nickname “Mr Christmas”.
CityCo, the city centre management organisation, remembered a longstanding board member who believed that a thriving centre would benefit the constituents he represented in Harpurhey.
It described him as plain-speaking, determined and deeply knowledgeable about Manchester’s history and development.
Alongside his work on regeneration and community events, Karney was a longstanding advocate for gay rights. He played a prominent role in the council’s opposition to Section 28, the legislation introduced in 1988 restricting the promotion of homosexuality by local authorities.
Council leader Garry Bridges described him as “a giant of Manchester politics”, paying tribute to his political judgement, humour and commitment to the people he served.
Bridges said Karney continued working on behalf of his constituents until the end, and remembered a colleague who readily offered friendship and advice.
Greater Manchester Mayor Bev Craig also praised his contribution to the city, highlighting both his campaigning for local communities and his support for LGBT equality.
For Manchester’s Irish community, his death marks the loss of a public figure whose life connected his Dublin beginnings with decades of service to his adopted city.
His legacy includes the rebuilt city centre, celebrations that brought people together and the neighbourhood he represented for more than 47 years.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham paid tribute to him. He said: “I knew Pat for many years. He loved Manchester deeply and was a tireless champion for the people he represented. I’ll miss him greatly. My thoughts are with his family and everyone who knew and loved him.”
Bridie Breen, who knew the politician for many years, told The Irish Post: “Pat Karney was a man enmeshed in community. He never forgot his Dublin roots and held a great heart for his Irish heritage. A straight-talking man, ever proud of Manchester people and this great city, as his home. Ar dheis Dé go raibh an anam dílís.”
See More: Labour Party, Manchester, Manchester Council
