A YEAR ago 88-year-old Tony O'Brien was driving around Warwick, visiting retirement homes as a lifelong volunteer of St Vincent de Paul.

Now, he's a resident of Akooramak and recipient of a St Vincent de Paul service award for 70 years service.

"Half my life I've been in Warwick," Mr O'Brien said.

"I spent 44 years down in NSW and I spent the other 44 up here."

Mr O'Brien was born on December 20, 1927 and took up work as a station manager of Remill Holdings.

"I'm on old station manager, I've dealt with thousands of stock, and I'd have a couple of thousand cows to look after."

"It was a job I really enjoyed." In 1945, at the age of 18, through the invitation of Bishop Patrick Gleeson, he and three other mates started St Vincent de Paul in Murrurundi.

"I joined the St Vincent de Paul at 18," Mr O'Brien said.

"I was always there for when they needed me to do something; I'd visit the nursing homes, and the hospitals.

"It was a very satisfying thing to do."

In 1973, Mr O'Brien and his family moved to Warwick, and Mr O'Brien quickly became a member of the local rodeo scene and St Vincent de Paul.

"I met a lot of rogues," Mr O'Brien said sarcastically pointing at current St Vincent de Paul president Val Gray.

Mr Gray, originally form Dublin. moved to Warwick in 1990.

"He's the rogue," Mr Gray laughed pointing back at Mr O'Brien.

"I'll never forget the first time I met Tony.

"My wife and I had just arrived in Warwick and we were down in the supermarket with a trolley full of gear for our kids.

"Tony came up to us from the opposite direction with a trolley with one item in it, and he said to me, 'where do you live?'.

"And I thought, gee what's this, and my wife kept looking at me.

"Tony said, 'you've got a lot in your trolley, I might come over to your house for tea'.

"My wife and I were thinking what's this?

"And then he put out his hand and said 'welcome to Warwick, I'm Tony O'Brien'."

Now, Mr O'Brien spends his days relaxing around Warwick, having a feed at Rose City Shoppingworld or heading to the saleyards on a Tuesday.

"Tuesday is my social day," he said. "I go down to the saleyards and have a beautiful corned beef sandwich."

Mr O'Brien has always been humble according to his friends

"It's very kind of you to come see this old rogue,' Mr O'Brien said. "But you're supposed to tell me I'm not a bad looking fella for 88."