Council solicitor receives medal

Mr Patrick Donnellan of Empire Bay has received an Order of Australia Medal in the Australia Day 2013 Honours List for his service to the community of Gosford.

Mr Donnellan was co-chairman of the Church Building Committee for St John the Baptist Catholic Parish from 1999 to 2007.

He was president and principal conductor of the Central Coast Philharmonia from 1977 to 2006 and said he enjoyed sharing an appreciation of music.

"Good music doesn't have to be complicated.

"It can be as simple as can be provided if it is done well in its simplicity," he said.

Mr Donnellan, who is the principal solicitor at PJ Donnellan and Co Solicitors and Attorneys, said he liked his job as a lawyer, "particularly if it involves the creation of legal structures that bring about a benefit for the Council and thereby for the community".

He was an advisor to Gosford Council from 1971 to 1974 and has been a solicitor to Council since 1974.

He is a senior practitioner for the NSW Local Government Lawyers Group, was president of the Central Coast Law Society from 2002 and is a life member of the NSW Law Society.

Mr Donnellan said he was initially "very surprised" at receiving the medal and was "very chuffed that there were people that thought enough of me to put me up for it and then go to the trouble of following it through".

"I was overseas at the time the notification came.

"It was read to me over the phone in a hotel room by my boss who thought the envelope looked like it contained something that couldn't wait until I got home and needed to be opened.

"In that situation I reacted probably in much the same way as Alice did when she went through the looking glass," said Mr Donnellan.

Kaitlin Watts 30 Jan 2012

Interviewee: Patrick Donnellan

Media Release, 18 Jan 2013

Stephen Brady CVO, Office of Quentin Bryce