Michael Commins
WHILE Dubliner Joe Coleman was forecasting special marvels for Knock Shrine the following day, John Cribbin came as near to being canonised in Ballyhaunis on Monday afternoon of last week as he is ever likely to get!
One after another they lined up to join in the tributes to the local councillor who was chairing the meeting and whose term as Cathaoirleach will officially come to a close at the June meeting in Castlebar.
After Martin Fitzmaurice, President of Ballyhaunis Chamber of Commerce, officially welcomed the councillors and staff from Mayo Co Council to Ballyhaunis, a succession of councillors lauded the manner in which John Cribbin had conducted the role of first citizen of the county. Michelle Mulherin referred to his great “sense of community and ‘can do’ attitude”, Eugene Lavin recognised him as “great GAA man, passionate about the Mayo county teams”.
Blackie Gavin summed it up nicely when he said John was “a champion of the people, a people’s man”. Joe Beirne, in his last moments as acting county manager, also put it well. “John was a great ambassador for Ballyhaunis and Mayo.”
“Tough but fair,” “very fair” and “excellent” were other tributes that emanated from councillors as Cllr Cribbin, somewhat shy of all the plaudits, sat back and relaxed in front of some of his local constituents who had rambled in for the meeting.
Tributes were also paid to Cllr Cribbin by councillors Michael Holmes, Richard Finn, Gerry Ginty, Eddie Staunton, Patsy O’Brien, Tom Connolly, Johnny O’Malley, Michael Kilcoyne, Seamus Weir, Henry Kenny, Annie Mai Reape, Eugene McCormack, Margaret Adams, Jimmy Maloney, Michael Burke, Al McDonnell, Joe Mellett, Cyril Burke and Austin Francis O’Malley.
A number of the above mentioned councillors also joined in the good wishes to Peter Hynes on his elevation to the position of Mayo County Council while some others also extended sympathy to solicitor Ward McEllin and family on the death of Ann McEllin (solicitor) who had close ties with Mayo County Council for many years. Various speaking also offered condolences to Cllr Patsy O’Brien (FG) on the recent death of his father martin in Robeen.
