I used to be a mature aged student... back in my earlier life.

Some time back in the late 1950s I was working in Wodonga. My working hours were long and, after working all day, I would be back at the office again each evening – Monday to Thursday . I would work at least till 11.30 p.m., sometimes later.

As can be imagined, these long hours produced pressure and had a bad effect on my mental health. The local doctor sent me to a specialist in Wagga Wagga. He diagnosed “nervous debility”. Because of the long hours I was prepared to work , he suggested to me that I should “study accountancy and work for yourself”.

Some  time later I registered as a student  with the Australian Society of Accountants.  At that time I wasn’t familiar with any other accounting body. I was initially very casual in my commitment to study.  The Society conducted its own examinations every six months.  It wasn’t until 1968 after I had worked  for twelve months in Jim Smith’s accounting practice, that I commenced study in earnest.  There were approximately 20 subjects to be studied and the Society was phasing exams out until 1972 when they would terminate them.

After some research,  I decided that I needed to  study one hundred hours per subject to be assured of a pass, and that I needed  to study, and pass, four subjects per year.

So I settled into studying twenty hours per week, rising at 6 a.m. to meet these requirements.
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I had earlier registered with a correspondence school  to do my studies, and to keep up with its program required many hours.  My memory is not clear, but I believe  I abandoned  its schedule early on , and pursued my own avenues of study.  Wal Pfeiffer, who worked at another local Accounting office, was also studying, but he was twelve months ahead of me.  I used to regularly confer with him, and we developed a friendship which exists to this day.

I took the opportunity to study two maths courses with an accounting  tutorial service in Melbourne, travelling down every Monday afternoon.  I did this for six months and found it very helpful, and a welcome break from studying alone.  I used to tape every lesson, and replay them in the car on my way home of a night after the lessons.

Come November 1972 I had progressed to the stage that I was facing my final exam, Auditing. Over the years I had conferred with many self-educated accountants, and was advised that not one of them had passed auditing on their first attempt.  So, with some trepidation, I sat my first, and Yes! I failed.

Worse still, it was the Society’s final examination. There I was – one subject to go to qualify, and I was in Limbo!­

Then fortune smiled!

The Society brokered a deal with the Bendigo Institute of Technology, (now Latrobe University). I could travel to Bendigo to study Auditing and the Society would give me credit for a pass.  Three study periods a week for twelve months - Monday afternoon, (stayed at Bernadette’s Aunty Hilda in Flora Hill Monday night) Tuesday morning and Friday afternoon.  I purchased a new second-hand XW Falcon Sedan for travel.  My auditing text-book  provided a  written summary to each chapter.  I read and  taped each summary and played them on my travels.  After twelve months of this I passed and became a qualified accountant.

But wait!  There’s more. To enter into partnership with my then boss I was asked to become a Chartered Accountant.  In his view Chartered Accountants were “the Elite”.    SHIT!

After another harrowing year of study, assisted by my regular conferences with Norm Kenny of Wangaratta (another student),  the frequent study meetings in Albury and a  stressful conference in Sydney, I graduated as a Chartered Accountant with an 87% pass mark.

And so, we set up the professional business of Smith and O’Shannessy in July 1975.

It hadn’t been  an easy path, but in the end it was worth all the effort.

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Ray O'Shannessy
October 2017

“You’ll do no such thing …. You are staying here!”

With these words in my ears I commenced two of the happiest years of my life. Good Vibrations ensued.

The year was approximately 1960 and I had been transferred in my employment from a Victorian country branch to the Head Office in Melbourne.

I was staying for a short time with my brother John in Prahran. I had purchased the Age newspaper to find an advertisement for permanent accommodation, and my sister-in-law had asked what I was looking for.  I explained, and received the response above… ”You are staying here!”

On our mother’s death in 1937, John, aged 14, went to live with our married sister in the small railway hamlet of Maroona.  How long he lived there I do not know.  Still a boy, he moved to Birchip and took up a job as a drover.

In time he moved to Melbourne; somehow qualified as a cabinet maker and went into business on his own account. 

He boarded with a dignified English widow who had a daughter, Marg, some months older than him. They, mother and daughter, had previously been living in poor circumstances in Rupanyup, but then obtained rental accommodation in Prahran.

At age 18, John married Marg and then continued to live in the same residence, where they raised their family of five children.

Then in 1960, I came on the scene, and for the first time in my life, I lived with family. Although they were family, they were really strangers. I had to get to know them.

John was of small stature, like me.  He had wavy, sandy coloured hair and was a friendly, hard- working, hard drinking, racist, Irish family man, with a larrikin streak. He had a quick wit and the ability to quickly make strangers comfortable in his company. Despite being like chalk and cheese, we bonded as family.  He was my idol.  He was my brother.  I’m sure that he regretted, as I did, not having spent our boyhood together.

Marg and I also bonded.  From a strict English background, Marg was a dignified, refined lady with a strong sense of purpose.

In my early life I had only two women who showed me any affection – my Aunty Kath and Marg. Yet for reasons known only to themselves, they never had a friendly relationship.

I adored John and Marg’s children and they responded. They affectionately call me UNK.

I am pleased to be able to say that I brought something advantageous into their lives. I introduced them to golf, a game they both enjoyed until their deaths.  In fact, from the time of John’s early death at the age of 55yrs, Marg gained much enjoyment from golf until her death at age 83.

The good vibrations I experienced over my involvement with John and Marg and their family will for ever be memorable to me.

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Ray O’Shannessy
October, 1917     

Dear Mr.O’Shannessy,
             
I am writing on behalf of the Governor-General to inform you that you are being considered for the award of the  Medal of the Order of Australia……….

These were the words which hit me after I opened the letter from the Governor-General’s office in April 2013.   I was to go from “anticipation vibes” to “good vibes” in a matter of seconds.

Towards the conclusion  of the letter were the words …”After the Governor-General has considered all the proposed awards, I shall advise you of the outcome….” 

The anticipation vibes returned.

On May 28th  my   worries disappeared with the advice  “your award… ..has been approved by the Governor- General.”.. There was great jubilation. Very “good vibrations”.

The award was announced in the Queen’s  Birthday honors list on 10th June, and I was the subject of many phone calls, cards, and personal well wishes. Letters were received from the Victorian Governor, the Premier and more politicians than I knew existed, from the north-eastern area of the state. I even received a congratulatory letter from Latrobe University who were claiming me as an alumni after having studied one solitary subject at it’s Bendigo campus.

Friday 1st November was to be the investiture date at the Victorian Government house, with Governor Eric Churnov officiating. I was allotted “three Entrée Cards for yourself  and two guests.” The letter added  .. “we are unable to meet any requests for additional guests”. 

Bad vibes.  I have a wife and four children and only two tickets. Who do I invite? How  could I not offend someone? Fortunately the boys were not interested in formalities and so weren’t phased about  attending . However, the girls, in their own little way, made it obvious that each of them expected to attend.  Problems!

In desperation I phoned Government House and spoke to a very understanding lady, (Wendy). She advised me to put my problem in writing to the Governor, which I did. Several days later I received unobstrusively in the mail, a third Entrée Card with only a handwritten note “herewith an extra Entrée Card”.             How grateful I was!  Family harmony had been saved!

Investiture day was a lovely sunny day. Guests were to be seated in the main hall, while recipients were to assemble in an adjourning dining room, prior to investiture.  We were seated in alphabetical order, and I had the privilege to be seated beside Ross Oakley, former CEO of the prior VFL and then AFL. He also played football with the St.Kilda football club.  As I am a St.Kilda fan we chatted.

The Investiture went swimmingly and everyone gathered in the main hall afterwards, prior to  nibblies and a drink, and an inspection of the Government House surrounds.

We met Cadel Evans, Tour de France winner and OAM recipient and obtained his autograph on replicas of his riding shirts, which son Anthony, and son-in-law Heath had provided in anticipation.

In the evening, the whole O’Shannessy clan, grandchildren and all, celebrated at a restaurant in Springvale Road.


Ray O’Shannessy OAM
September 2017.                        
 

I always have good vibes, or good vibrations, when I am with my family.

I was not raised in a traditional family environment, and honestly, I have always envied those who have been. I have sorely missed contact with my parents and with my siblings.

I now have a family of my own, a wife, 2 sons, and 2 daughters. I love them all unreservedly and indeed am very proud of them and I like to skite about them and their achievements. Doing so always gives me good vibrations.

So here goes.

My wife has been a marvellous company and  mother who has attended to all the children’s requirements from the baby years to their adulthood.  She was affectionately  known as a legend at FCJ College for her numerous years’  service in the uniform shop and as co-ordinator of the Debutante  Ball.  She was awarded the Sandhurst Diocesan Community Service Award for her  service at Galen College Wangaratta. She has been awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship at Rotary.

My children all graduated at university and have done remarkably well in their careers.

I am proud to say that Anthony, our eldest boy, was sent to Switzerland for two years in his employment with ABB Engineering, and now  holds the position of Chief Financial Officer with a large  Victorian Corporation, the Melbourne Water Board. In his youth he excelled in football and squash, and still plays squash.

Peter, our second child holds the position of Chief Financial Officer of the Cranbourne Racing Club and Trio’s Restaurant and gaming organisation, also in the Cranbourne complex. He played, for many years, football and basketball.

Our eldest daughter Jacki, married a wool grower and attends to all the farm accounts and acts as a farmwife. She and her husband Heath won the “Best Fleece” award in the lamb’s section of the 2017 Victorian Wool Show. Jacki also works as office manager for the Royal Hotel in Benalla. She is a netball and basketball enthusiast.

Cathy, our youngest, was awarded the Galen College Award for Excellence in her last year of secondary education. After spending two years in a managerial role for Brown. Brothers Winery in London, she has now settled in as senior marketing director for  the Charles Sturt University in Albury. She, too, concentrated on netball and basketball.

We have now been blessed with ten grandchildren, five girls and five boys, and the good vibrations become even better at Christmas, when the whole O’Shannessy family gathers at our home for special celebrations.

It is great to see  our children all accept parental roles in their own children’s sporting and other activities, and I sincerely trust that they all have long and happy family associations.

Good vibrations mean different things to different people, and I hope I have indicated how they mean so much to me  in my family life.
 
Ray O’Shannessy.
September 2017.                                                        

​I used to be an ardent lawn bowler back in the days before I became an octogenarian.

In September 1957, whilst boarding at The Carriers’ Arms Hotel in Wodonga, I was encouraged to join the Wodonga Bowls Club. Surprisingly, I learned early, that I had potential to become a relatively good bowler. In my first year I was selected, occasionally, as a member in the club’s top pennant team in the Ovens and Murray Association.

As the youngest member of the club, (I was  25 years of age, while other members were in their fifties, sixties and seventies, some even older) the coach and my skipper took me under their wings. They took me with them regularly to tournaments in the surrounding districts of a Sunday, after having played pennant on Saturdays. We were often successful in winning the tournament.

I particularly recall one tournament at Gerogery, a small country club which did not have overhead lights. Our rink was playing off in the finals at dusk. We progressed to the grand final and it became so dark that the skipper had to strike a match to show players the location of the “kitty”. What an experience! Our side won!

On joining the Benalla Bowls Club in 1963 I was a regular player in their top Ovens and Murray team. I held my place for some fifteen to twenty years. We never won a premiership but played off in the grand final on three occasions.

Benalla, because of doubt of our future in the Ovens and Murray Association , entered a team in the Goulburn Valley Association. I was selected and we were runners-up in our one and only year.

On returning from the Goulburn Valley Association I was relegated and played the rest of my bowling career in a lower grade. We won three premierships and played in several finals. In the lower grade there were only three rinks in a team.  1984/85 was a memorable year. We were playing in the grand final at Corowa on a very hot Sunday afternoon. The other two rinks in our team were defeated. Our rink, having been down zero to seven after 2 ends went on to win 48 to 13. A big enough victory to claim the premiership!

For many  years  I played Country-week bowls  in Melbourne with mixed success. I have played finals in the  “pairs” and “fours”. Our best effort was to be in the final four of the state. On that occasion the finals were to be played at Drouin  some two weeks later. Unfortunately on that date our skipper had a non-negotiable business commitment  and had to withdraw. The rest is history.

In January 2014 I sustained a fractured pelvis in a fall doing “meals on wheels”, and I use that as an excuse for retiring from bowls. To be truly honest, my pride won’t accept the fact that I can no longer bowl as well as I used to.
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Over many years I have been diligent in the administration of the club, and have been awarded a Club “life membership” for my efforts. I have also received RVBA recognition for” Fifty Years Continuous Membership.”
 
Ray O’Shannessy
October 2017g

I used to own and operate the Benalla Coin Laundrette.

Back in  1971  my wife and I purchased, as an adjunct to our other business activities, the Benalla  Coin Laundrette. At that time it featured  a diesel operated hot water service, four washing machines, and two clothes driers. The opening hours were 6 a.m. until 10 p.m.

After some years’ activities we converted the hot water system to gas, and purchased eight up-grade Maytag washing machines and four driers. The business was not overly profitable, but it did enable us to pay for two new cars and provide the children with pocket money.

We engaged the Benalla Security Service to open and close the shop at these times. When we would go on holidays it was our practice to engage my bowls skipper, Bill Bryce, to attend to the cleaning and collection of the takings.

The duties involved an early morning rise, so that we could wash the floor and clean up all the equipment after the previous day’s activities. This would take up to an hour per morning. Because of Bernadette’s child minding responsibilities, I would generally do this work. One night a week we would collect the takings. Usually the premises would be quite dirty. The main problem being the activity of youth vandalism. The premises were next door to a fish and ship shop and, after school of a day time, school children would assemble and sit on the seats of the laundrette. It would amuse them to sprinkle soap powder (readily available) in the machines and the coin functions of the machines. Sometimes, after some school kid frolicking, we would find girl’s knickers dangling from the ceiling rafters. Because of this activity it was occasionally necessary to clean up the shop of a late evening.

It was often necessary to engage tradesmen to maintain the equipment. Although not technically minded, I found that I became  quite adept at the maintenance of the coin machines.

The busiest time of the year would be  Benalla Show days, when   show people would back up their utes to the front door and unload what seemed like tons of soiled attire, sheets and so on.
Because the machines were coin operated we had a mutually satisfactory arrangement with the fish shop next door to provide the necessary coins.

It came to our notice, not long into our occupancy, that the night watchman shirked his responsibilities by not locking the premises of a night, but by merely turning the light off. This meant that he did not have to open the premises again in the morning. We thought better of taking him to task.

After operating the laundrette for a number of years we decided that the daily commitment was too much of a bind. We had a good relationship with our machine maintenance man, and, after seventeen years of operation, we sold the business to him for a very reasonable (to him) price.
 
Ray O’Shannessy.                       
​499 words.