Tributes are being paid to Councillor Pat Karney, who has died aged 78 after serving the city for almost half a century.
Cllr Karney, who was receiving treatment for cancer and grateful for the excellent care he received at The Christie, has represented Harpurhey as a councillor since 1979 and has been one of the city’s most prominent politicians for much of that time.
Closest to his heart was always Collyhurst/Harpurhey and north Manchester and enthusiastically advocating investment in, and celebration of, the area.
For many years Pat has been known as a champion and spokesperson for the city’s popular Christmas Markets and festive events, as well as acting as city centre spokesperson.
He was one of the pivotal figures in the regeneration of the city centre after it was devastated by the 1996 IRA bomb, Chairing the City Centre Committee established to oversee the rebirth. He has been a director of Cityco, the not-for-profit city centre management company, since 2000 and was also one of the directors of tourism body Marketing Manchester between 2002 and 2014.
Manchester Day, the annual celebration of the city first held in 2010, was his brainchild and will be among his legacies.
Pat was also proud of the role he had played in standing up for gay rights, especially in the 1980s when Manchester City Council fought against the discriminatory Clause 28 (of the Local Government Act 1988) introduced by the Thatcher government.
The young Pat moved to Manchester at the age of nine from Dublin but remained proud of his Irish roots and was heavily involved with the city’s Irish community over the years, including with the Irish Festival.
Council Leader Cllr Garry Bridges said:
“Pat was a giant of Manchester politics and one of the city’s most recognisable public figures for nearly 50 years. He was truly a one-off and someone whose loss the city will feel deeply.
“Pat was Manchester through and through and he never lost his determination to champion the city or his astute political judgement. It is typical of his commitment that he was working on behalf of his constituents right until the end.
“He never lost his connection with where he came from- he was proud to be from Collyhurst and to represent the people of Harpurhey and Collyhurst.
“Pat loved this city and civic pride really mattered to him. He was the driving force behind important events like Manchester Day and our Christmas festivities which he began planning earlier each year. In recent years he strongly supported Harpurhey Together and argued passionately for more local events celebrating all that is good in our neighbourhoods.
“He’s played an influential role in Manchester’s renaissance and driven improvements in the city centre – standing up for its businesses and attractions, while being outspoken about where he thought change was needed, such as in Piccadilly Gardens.
“While he was deeply serious about his politics and his values, he had a great sense of fun and wasn’t afraid to put himself in the spotlight or use a gimmick or two to get his message across.
“For us in the Council, we knew the Pat that everyone else knew but we also knew him as a friend – someone who was always there with sage advice. We will miss him personally as much as we miss him politically.”
Council Chief Executive Tom Stannard said:
“Pat Karney epitomised public service and gave fifty years of his life as a Harpurhey ward councillor. He was a determined character, always forthright in getting his views across, but always motivated by what he thought best for the city and ward he loved and had represented for so long. His life of public service to this city was energetic and relentless, and we know he worked determinedly until the end.
“I will miss his wisdom, his generosity with time and his inimitable grasp of Manchester’s history as well as his forever optimism about its future. We will also treasure his leadership on equalities issues, which generations of public service leaders can learn so much from. For all his public profile, he was also someone who could be very supportive behind the scenes and was deeply appreciative of the hard work of council staff. Pat was everything that is is wonderful about the spirit of public service. He will be deeply missed by us all, and my thoughts and love go to his family and friends.”
A Book of Condolence for people wishing to pay their respects to Cllr Pat Karney has been opened.
The book is available in the Shakespeare Hall of Central Library, which is just inside the main entrance.
An online Book of Condolence is also available at Manchester City Council book of condolence
The Union Flag on Central Library is being flown at half mast today (Weds 14 October) in tribute to Cllr Karney, who was the longest-serving sitting councillor on Manchester City Council.