Page 53 - Ei Christmas Magazine 2025

53
Obituaries
cont.
Ian Dunn RIP
Peter Brooks RIP
Ian passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on
16th February 2025.
Originally from Newcastle in UK, but living in
Shannon for over 20 years, Ian joined Ei in April
1999 as a Senior Maintenance Technician in Auto
Insertion. He was the senior technical person
in ‘Auto’ for over 25 years, responsible for the
provision of PTH (thru’ hole) and SMT (Surface
Mount Technology) electronics assembly capacity
for the entire factory.
‘Auto’ is the most automated part of the
manufacturing process with the highest density
of CapEx equipment. Ian excelled in his role,
an excellent Technician/Engineer, who adapted
easily to the increasing complexity and scale of the
equipment, as the business quadrupled in size during
his time. Ian took great pride in his work, proudly
wearing the Ei badge. He was the lead ‘tour guide’
for Auto/SMT, enthusiastically demonstrating
the process and equipment to the many customer
groups that visit the factory every year.
Ian was a proud ‘Nordie’, supporter of all English
teams in football and rugby----with the shirts to
prove it!! He was an enthusiastic cyclist in the Ei
colours! He was another one of the ‘characters of Ei
and a ‘work buddy’ of PJ Gilligan who pre-deceased
him by a few short weeks.
Ian is survived by his Partner, Idelia (who works
in ‘Auto’), his daughter Kirsty, his mother Margery,
sister Judith and stepdaughter Siobhan.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh
a anam dílis.
Peter Brooks, never worked in Ei but for 30 years
we had a close business relationship as Peter was
the founder of Brooks Fire, that was the Distributor
of Ei products in Australia and New Zealand since
1993.
Peter was an Electrical Engineer and he was
responsible for the design and installation of the air
conditioning system in the Sydney Opera House.
He was particularly proud of this achievement and
no meeting with Peter was complete without he
regaling the details of that iconic building and his
involvement. There was a natural cross-over from
air conditioning to fire detection and in mid 1970’s
he bought a small company and upon moving the
operation to Rydalmere, a suburb of Sydney, he
started to make fire panels.
It was in 1993, on a visit to the UK that he saw Ei
smoke alarms for sale in retail and made contact.
He could have sourced from lower cost countries
but having been educated in a Catholic school with
Irish Priests, there was an affinity to Ireland so he
wanted to distribute Ei Alarms. Peter and Mick
signed a 1-page Agreement, which Mick had drawn
up, to be our exclusive distributor in Australia/
New Zealand. That agreement was the basis of a
mutually successful business for 30 years. There
were several enjoyable exchange-trips to Australia
and Ireland in the years that followed.
Then, in 2022, when the Brooks family decided to
sell the Brooks business, we bought it and Brooks
Australia became an Ei subsidiary in December
2022
Peter was very proud of the family business and
worked well into his 80’s. A chain-smoker, all
his life, he defied the odds and lived to be 90.
His health deteriorated over the past 5 years and
because he suffered from Alzheimer’s he was only
semi-aware of the business being sold but would
have been pleased that it was Ei that bought it!
We have fond memories of doing business
with Peter. He passed away peacefully on 13th
September 2025.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh
a anam dílis.
Peter Brooks
Ian Dunn
PJ Gilligan
PJ Gilligan RIP
PJ passed away on 4th January 2025 at the
Milford Care Centre, Limerick, after a brave
battle with cancer over the previous 2 years.
From Ennis, PJ first worked in Ei as a contractor
Electrician for 13 years from 1995 before being
appointed Plant Electrician, by Willie Slattery, in
Jan 2008. PJ was involved as an Electrician at Ei
for nearly 30 years, a period that saw the factory
grow hugely in capacity and complexity.
PJ was a very skilled Electrician, but in addition
to his electrical skills he ‘could turn his hand
to anything’ and frequently did! He was most
obliging, and no job was a problem!
PJ always had a smile on his face and made
everyone feel good in his presence.
He was a great work colleague, universally
popular, with a great sense of humour---one of the
‘characters’ of the factory.
Outside of work, PJ was a keen football fan and
a member of the Chelsea supporters club of his
native Ennis.
PJ is survived by his wife, Breda.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh
a anam dílis.