Dr. Lionel Hatt (1942-2009)

It is hard to believe that it is 10 years today since we lost not only an exceptional water treatment talent, but also more importantly a friend. Lionel Hatt qualified from Trinity College Dublin with a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Organic Chemistry in the mid 60’s and continued his studies at Queens University Belfast becoming Dr. Lionel on completion of his PHD in Organic Biochemistry in 1970. Not just an academic he was also a dab hand at the shotput in his younger days winning numerous college titles.

Lionel’s early career was not in the water treatment industry but in the textile industry working for British Enkalon Ltd in Belfast before globetrotting as a senior researcher with A.K.Z.O research in the Netherlands, Germany and the USA.

In 1976 Lionel began his very distinguished water treatment career with Mahon and McPhillips in Kilkenny, initially working in tendering before moving into business development, developing markets in the Middle East and beyond. In 1984 he was promoted to joint MD with Mahon and McPhillips in the UK. Subsequent to the closure of Mahon and McPhillips in 1990 Lionel remained in the UK working initially with Tilbury Douglas Ltd and then with Engineered Products Ltd before deciding (in anticipation of the birth of his daughter Sinead) to return to Ireland and work for Veolia Water Irelands’ predecessor Bowen Water Technology.

It was there that I was lucky enough to get to know Lionel, initially working on industrial solutions and then moving on to municipal WTP’s as the DBO market developed through the noughties. Clareville and Athy WTP’s are just 2 WTP’s that have Lionel’s stamp all over them with both innovative and novel chemical design solutions supplying clean compliant drinking water to circa 150,000 people on a daily basis.

I could compile a book on the stories and antidotes supplied by Lionel throughout the years, but this is only the tip of the iceberg of the stories and yarns that I have heard over the last few weeks. Lionel had time for everyone from the security guard on the plant gate to the international MD that had flown in to seal the deal, Lionel chatted and respectfully treated them all equally.

I personally believe Lionel missed his vocation to be a lecturer as the passion and patience he showed all Veolia’s process graduates was remarkable. You even attempted to explain the RTW model to me!! Lionel always gave people his time generally as he rolled the customary cigarette. When he arrived back from a holiday driving across Europe, Google would not furnish the data he would hold in his head, from the tobacco and fuel prices in the different countries / regions, the fuel economy of the car, the hourly temperatures for the 2 weeks, to the bar manager in the Irish pub around the corner from the hotel who’s second cousin he knew from Baghdad in the 80’s. Lionel befriended whomever he met but customs officers may have had questions for him with a car fully laden with wine and tobacco returning from his holidays.  I know of no other contractor who got a poem written about him by the client on his retirement. This was testament to the high esteem in which he was held.

One common theme emerged as I discussed Lionel recently with colleagues, is that all remember clearly where and what they were doing on the 13th of September 2009 when they received the shocking news of his sudden passing. On behalf of everyone in Veolia Water Ireland I would like to say “Gone but not Forgotten”. Lionel is probably sitting in heaven as an environmental advisor. Lionel you were unique and only you would attempt to come up with a chemical equation to replicate yourself. You left an indelible mark on my life and surely on many others.

Ar dheis Dé do raibh a anam

 Brendan Sheehan 2019.