FAMILY MOMENT Newly-elected Cathaoirleach, Cllr Seamus Weir with his wife Mary, son Ronan, daughters Yvonne and Tara. Pic: Michael McLaughlin
Weir is new Cathaoirleach
Michael Duffy
HIS broad smile said it all. Seamus Weir is one of the more reserved members of Mayo County Council but he found it hard to contain his proud feelings as Gerry Coyle, outgoing Cathaoirleach, placed the chain of office on his shoulders in Aras an Chondae yesterday (Monday).
Weir is the first man ever from Knockmore to assume the mantle of the county’s first citizen and his family and friends turned out in force to lend their support. The former Mayo footballing star becomes the fourth Fine Gael cathaoirleach in a row, following in the footsteps of Eddie Staunton, Henry Kenny and Gerry Coyle. Labour’s Johnny Mee once again supported the nomination of a Fine Gael Cathaoirleach and Leas Cathaoirleach, the latter role being filled by first-time Louisburgh councillor, Austin Francis O’Malley.
Cllr Al McDonnell, on behalf of the 12 sitting Fianna Fáil councillors, said they would not be opposing the nominations and one former Fianna Fáil stalwart would surely have been very happy with the 100 per cent endorsement of Cllr Weir as Cathaoirleach. The deceased Jimmy Weir, father of Seamus, was a staunch Fianna Fáil supporter in the Knockmore area, but the new Cathaoirleach was sure his father was looking down on him on his big day.
“My mother [Rita] was a Fine Gael woman but my father was most definitely a Fianna Fáil man. In his later life, he did tell me there was always time for me to change, but I’m sure both my parents would be proud people today,” said Cllr Weir, whose wife Mary, daughters Yvonne and Tara, and son Ronan, were all in attendance at the annual general meeting.
Cllr Weir set out six objectives which he said he hoped to see achieved over the next year, including the roll-out of broadband across the county, the creation of employment, with particular emphasis on the tourism industry in Ballina, and an ambition to get both sides involved in the Corrib gas dispute to have face-to-face dialogue.
In proposing Cllr Weir, Fine Gael whip Paddy McGuinness said the new Cathaoirleach would bring the traits of ‘modesty, tenacity and likeability’ to the position.
Fellow Ballina Electoral Area councillor, Eddie Staunton, said it was’ an honour and a privilege’ to be able to second the nomination of Seamus Weir, whose feats on the footballing field were also recalled. The Knockmore man won five county titles and a Connacht Championship as a player and also a county and Connacht title as a manage of his local club.
He also wore the green and red of Mayo with distinction for eight years from 1976 to 1984 and former playing colleague, Cllr Eugene Lavin, said it would indeed be fitting if the Sam Maguire were to arrive back in the county during his term of office.
Outgoing Cathaoirleach, Cllr Gerry Coyle was heralded by all in attendance as having had an outstanding year as the county’s first citizen. He listed the opening of the Belmullet Civic Centre and the receipt of the O2 Ability Award as some of the highlights of his year, a year in which he travelled to Argentina and Cleveland, among many other destinations.
Cllr Coyle said he also met with two former presidents, Patrick Hillery and Mary Robinson, and the current one, Mary McAleese; two Taoisigh, Albert Reynolds and Bertie Ahern, and a ‘future Taoiseach’, Enda Kenny, along with other famous faces such as Manchester Utd manager Alex Ferguson and Mayor of New York, Michael Bloomberg.
“In total, I attended 267 functions throughout the year. I have been all over the county from Blacksod to Ballaghaderreen, from Belderrig to Shrule. It’s been great helping everyone build up their communities. It’s a year I will never forget,” said the outgoing Cathaoirleach.
