Patrick O’Callaghan, a retired academic based in Derry, contributed to the introduction of internet services in Venezuela in the 1990s. Originally from West Belfast with family ties to Derry's Waterside area, he taught computer science at Universidad Simón Bolívar outside Caracas starting in 1979.

In the late 1980s, O’Callaghan set up an electronic mailing list for academic staff at the university. He advocated for full internet connectivity after discussions among Venezuelan ex-students abroad about a 1992 coup attempt by Hugo Chávez’s group. He presented this need to the university rector.

At a meeting organized by Venezuela's national research council in Caracas, O’Callaghan proposed seeking funds from the Inter-American Development Bank for internet rather than limited database access. The council tasked him with leading a proposal alongside other experts. They secured about $2 million for an academic internet network.

In 1995, O’Callaghan co-founded True.net, one of Venezuela's first internet service providers, with students and associates in Caracas. The company served the university initially. CANTV, the national telecommunications firm, acquired True.net in 1997 and expanded services nationwide.

O’Callaghan later headed telematic services at Simón Bolívar to enhance the campus network. He returned to Ireland after his wife Carol's death in 2012 and Chávez’s death in 2013. His son Michael lives in Derry.