About Nationwide Fireworks

As a young boy growing up in Wexford during the sixties, two annual events literally lit up the life of Pat Whelan and hundreds of his contemporaries. Both were integral parts of the Wexford Festival Opera but to any ten year old they were two tickets to the magical world of a child's mind. The long forgotten Guinness Clock was a firm favourite but for Pat and generations of Wexfordians, it was "the Fireworks" that caused the pulse to race and the eyes to sparkle.

In 1985 when Pat became Administrator of Wexford Festival Opera he vowed to return to the children the magic of "the Fireworks" on the opening night of the Opera Festival. However it proved to be a harder task than he imagined, but undeterred and having overcome many obstacles, the Fireworks Display of 1987 was to be the turning point that slowly redefined Pat Whelan's life. An opportunity glimpsed then gradually presented itself until it finally became a reality five years later.

His term of office as Administrator over, and tired of office life, Pat decided that with no firework company based in the Republic of Ireland he would start his own company. Thus "Nationwide Fireworks" came into being.

Training trips to England were the norm for the next year as Pat went about learning the theory and safe practice for the planning, site preparation, professional firing and site clearance for Fireworks Displays of all sizes. Another year followed where Pat fired shows all over Ireland accompanied by seasoned professional from the UK. The final requirement was to have a Safety Audit carried out. Safety is Nationwide Fireworks number one priority and the company has its own Public Liability Insurance to the tune of €10m for any one claim. Safety Clearance attained and Insurance in place, Nationwide Fireworks set forth as an independent company ready for action.

For fifteen years now Pat and his teams have fired all over Ireland and on occassions they have teamed up with international companies from Australia, France, U.K., Spain, Colombia and the USA who have needed specialists based in the Republic of Ireland.

Pat also has an ADR Licence for the transporting of explosives and hazardous goods.