Longest-serving Manchester councillor Pat Karney dies
Described as a “giant” and “a one-off”, Pat Karney served as a councillor for Harpurhey from 1979. He has died aged 78 following a period of illness.
One of the more prominent figures in Manchester politics over the last 50 years, Dublin-born Karney played a key role in the reconstruction of part of the city after the IRA bomb in 1996, chairing the City Centre Committee established to oversee the regeneration.
A champion of North Manchester, Karney was also city centre spokesperson for several years, regularly passing comment on issues relating to Piccadilly Gardens and Manchester’s Christmas markets. He was also a director at CityCo, the city centre management company.
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 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.”
