Court Service colleagues say goodbye to Rita

Court service official Rita Monaghan retired from Mullingar Court Office on Friday last October 9 after more than 30 years in the job.

Starting in 1973 in Revenue Commissioners, Rita spent five years there and left for a period of 14 years to raise her family, returning in 1993 to Social Welfare in Longford and Tullamore until 2000, when she started in Mullingar District Court.

Rita was always professional in carrying out her duties as a civil servant and always put the customer first, assisting them in any way she could, her colleagues said. She adapted quickly to the reorganised court office that combined both the District and Circuit Court in 2012.

Always eager to expand her knowledge to the workings of the Circuit Court, Rita was regarded as knowledgeable in civil and family law. She spent many years as court registrar in the District Court in Mullingar, and previously in Killucan and Castlepollard.

Rita had the unique skill of being “cool, calm and collected” in what is a busy, reactive and fast paced environment that requires accuracy at all times.

“Rita will be dearly missed by us all in Mullingar Court Office and also the staff in the neighbouring counties,” said Margaret O’Rafferty, office manager at Mullingar and Athlone Court Office.

“She will be also greatly missed by the members of An Garda Síochána, Probation Service and the legal practitioners who she had great working relationship with and always made herself available to assist in any way she could.

“On behalf of us all here in Mullingar Court Office, we wish Rita a happy and healthy retirement as she closes a worthy chapter of her life and begins anew with challenging but exciting times ahead.”