By Michelle Crean

For 35 years he has been filling plates with fine food in the International Hotel - but last week Patrick O'Sullivan hung up his ‘chef whites’ for a while.

One of 10 children in his family growing up Patrick, like many of his contemporaries, headed for the bright lights of London after school but soon realised that he couldn’t be away from his beloved Killarney, and his more beloved family and returned on the Slattery’s bus in the late 1980s.

Landing at the steps of the Friary, Patrick popped in to see his brother Stephen who was cheffing in the Brewery Grill at the International. A good man to turn his hand to anything, Patrick was recruited by then Head Chef Cyril Boggins, soon qualified as a chef and the rest, as they say, is history!

It was a real family affair at the hotel because Patrick has been such an integral member of the family at the International over the years, always having a laugh with his colleagues.

"Patrick has never said a cross word that anyone can remember, which is some feat given the heat that is sometimes felt in the kitchen!" Tracy Coyne said.

A home away from home for Patrick, the family feeling in the International didn’t stop there – Pat’s mom Nora worked in the kitchen at the International in the 1990s, his afore-mentioned brother Stephen was a chef here, his brothers William and Larry worked as porter and barman respectively, while his sister Breda, and her daughter Orla both did their time in Hannigan’s Restaurant in the 2000s!

"The number of O’Sullivan family birthdays, christenings, anniversaries and other special occasions that have been held at the International are too numerous to count so we are fairly sure that we haven’t seen the last of Patrick and wish him well on his career break, from all the team and the Coyne family at the International Hotel, a huge thank you to Patrick for many years of great breakfasts always served with good humour and a good word."