Neale man honoured by the Queen

PRESTIGIOUS HONOUR Jason Clancy has worked in Buckingham Palace for the past 13 years.

Michael Gallagher

There were celebrations in The Neale over the weekend when local man Jason Clancy was named in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List. The former Ballinrobe Community School student was named as an honorary Member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO), a British order of knighthood.
“We’re absolutely delighted for Jason,” his father, Jackie, told The Mayo News yesterday (Monday). “It’s great news to receive after all the talk of pandemic, war and the price of diesel over the past year or two.”
Jason has worked in Buckingham Palace for the past 13 years restoring and conserving the furniture and has risen to the rank of Senior Historic Conservator at the Master of the Household’s Department in the Royal Household.
“Furniture restoration was all he ever wanted to do. It was his passion for as long as I can remember and when he was doing his Leaving Cert there was only one course he wanted to do – Furniture Restoration in Letterfrack – nothing else.
“When he was in his second year in Letterfrack there was an external advisor there connected to Windsor Castle and he asked Jason if he wanted to do his work placement there. That went well and when he left Letterfrack, that same advisor asked if he would be interested in a position in Buckingham Palace.”

Loves the work
Jason’s love for furniture restoration didn’t come from the wind. His father is passionate about the subject and now fills a similar role to his son in Ashford Castle.
“I was a woodwork teacher in Ballinrobe and took early retirement. I went to England studied Furniture Restoration and now work in Ashford, which is wonderful. As a family, we’re great believers in being happy in your work – it makes a huge difference,” the proud father stated.
Jason will receive his award later this year and his family will be there to enjoy the occasion. His parents, Jackie and Monica, and siblings, Alison and Seamus, are very proud of the young man from The Neale and all he has achieved.
“He loves his job. He’s doing what he always wanted to do and we’re all so happy for him. What more could we ask for,” Jackie concluded.
He received an honorary Member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO), a British order of knighthood. Due to his Irish citizenship, an honorary award was given instead of a full MVO.
Jason studied Furniture Restoration in GMIT Furniture College, Letterfrack, and has worked in Buckingham Palace for 13 years looking after the furniture and interiors.