Council pays tribute to retiring Mayo councillors at their last meeting

TRIBUTES were paid to two retiring councillors who attended their last meeting of Mayo County Council after they both served 25 years in local government.

Ballyhaunis-based councillor John Cribbin and Cllr Seamus Weir from Knockmore attended their final meeting of Mayo County Council which took place in the Dolphin Hotel in Crossmolina on Monday.

The two councillors were both elected for the first time in 1999 and they have been elected at each local election since.

There were warm tributes paid to the two men who both also served as Cathaoirleach of the council during their tenure in politics.

Leading the tributes, Cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council, Cllr Michael Loftus said that the two men served their communities with distinction for the last 25 years and they will be missed. He described Cllr Cribbin as an absolute gentleman who was admired by everyone regardless of their politics.

Admiration

“Since I started here in 2014 I got to meet a man who I have admired so much when he would get up to speak in the council and what he said and what he did for his community. I would have loved to be one of his constituents because he cared so much for them,” he said.

In relation to Cllr Weir he said he wanted to acknowledge his contribution to Mayo County Council over the last 25 years.

Fine Gael councillor Michael Burke described Cllr Cribbin as an exceptional councillor and colleague who always did his best to represent his community and that is reflected in the number of times he was elected.

He also paid tribute to Cllr Weir, a former Fine Gael member, who he described as an honourable person.

Tributes were also paid to Cllr Michael Loftus who was chairing his last meeting as Cathaoirleach in his hometown. Cllr Burke praised him for his impartiality in the chair and being fair to all councillors.

“You were totally neutral and gave our side of the house as fair a crack of the whip as you could be expected to give,” he said.

Fianna Fáil councillor Damien Ryan also paid tribute to Cllr Loftus, for his term in office and for being an ambassador for the county at national and international level.

“Every time you spoke you spoke passionately about the county and you did this county proud as our first citizen. I have no doubt the community of this area will have you returned as a councillor,” he said.