Lion Pat, the second youngest of 12 children to Kevin and Ivy Lynch, was born in Ayr on the 27th August 1958. He was educated at St Josephs Convent in Ayr, then Bowen State High Schools.

Lion Pat joined the Queensland Railways at a young age as a Lad Porter. He gradually worked his way through various positions. He retired as a Station Master. In his time with the Railways he worked in stations from Mackay to the south, west to Mt Isa, north to Babinda and nearly all stations in between.

Lion Pat met his wife Rita at a Rural Youth Handover dinner in Ingham. It must have been love at first sight because a long distance romance soon blossomed. They were married in 1985 and they have two lovely daughters Josephine and Kathleen both of who I might add are Past Leo Presidents and also past Miss Popularity Entrants. Kathleen is the youngest lion in the Ingham Lions Club.

After beginning to raise a young family in the numerous job locations with Qld Rail, in 1992 Pat & Rita set up business together as Second Hand Dealers in Ingham. They remained in business till March 2000. Since then Pat has worked mainly in the transport industry.

His community involvement includes Past Chairman of the Gilroy College Board, Gilroy P&F President, and Lourdes Primary P&F member. He is a Past Chairman of the Hinchinbrook and Cardwell Shire Development Bureau, Past Member of The Great Green Way Drive and a founding member of the Trebonne Action Group.

Pat was elected and served as a Hinchinbrook Shire Councillor from 1997 to 2000. He unsuccessfully ran for Mayor in 2000, then was re-elected as a Councillor in 2008. He now serves as the Chairman for Pests & Weeds Control and Public Open Spaces. He is also the Chairman or member of other Council and Community Committees. His current position outside Council is as the Transport Development Co-coordinator for the Hinchinbrook Community Support Centre. Funded by the “Blue Print for the Bush” initiative, his role is to develop transport strategies to utilize current transport infrastructure to meet the needs of the transport poor.

In March 1993 Pat was sponsored into the Lions Club of Ingham by a Charter member Lion Silvio Molachino and soon became a very active member. He was elected as Second Vice President within 12 months, served as First Vice President, and President for 1997/98. He has taken on various board positions such as Secretary, Tail Twister, and Leo Advisor since 2002. This year Pat has served as the Chairman of the Hinchinbrook Family Fishing Classic which is the Lions Club of Ingham major fund raising event. Pat’s main interest in Lions has been with youth, serving as the Miss Popularity Chairman & Leo Club Advisor for many years. He was instrumental in the reforming the Ingham Leo Club.

After the disastrous Ingham Floods earlier this year Lion Pat chaired the Community Disaster Relief Committee which was formed to overlook and organize relief efforts and donations to those most in need in the local community. Ingham Lions played a major part in this committee and Pat along with PDG Des Rooker as the Relief Co coordinator oversaw the distribution of donated goods and organized clean-up crews and paid contractors to help those in need.

As an Ingham Lions Club delegate Pat has served as President of the Ingham Maraka Festival on four occasions and continues to be a valuable member of this committee. On a Lions District Level Lion Pat has served as Zone Chairman twice, The Miss Popularity Chairman twice, also as the Leo Chairman. Pat has received numerous awards including 2x 100% President's Awards; Key Membership & President Excellence Awards & International President's Commendation.

Lion Pat has sponsored eleven Lions into our club and this year Pat was awarded his 16 year Lions service pin. He attended the Lions Senior Leadership Institute in Perth where he gained valuable knowledge to help in his quest to become a good leader in our District. Pat and Rita enjoy spending time with family and friends. Pat loves house renovations, woodworking and cars, while Rita loves cooking and entertaining.