CLLR TONY O’Brien (FF) was elected Cathaoirleach of Killaloe MD at the group’s AGM on Wednesday.
Outgoing Mayor of the district cllr Pat Burke (FG) handed over the ceremonial chain at a meeting held in the Killaloe-Ballina Family Resource Centre in the East Clare capital.
The meeting was attended by the above as well as cllrs Pat Hayes (FF), Conor Ryan (FF) and Alan O’Callaghan (FF). O’Brien was proposed to the position by cllr Hayes and seconded by Conor Ryan, who himself was elected Leas-Chathaoirleach.
Summing up his 12 months in charge of the district, cllr Burke discussed several highlights from his time at the top of the table, giving special mention to the opening of the new Visitor Centre at Inis Cealtra.
“It’s great to see that facility up and running and reasonably successful. It’s a bit like farming, weather dictates a lot of these tourist projects”, the Whitegate man added.
The cllr followed up by thanking the staff of Killaloe MD for their “trojan work”, paying tribute to the efforts of both office and outdoor staff in the district.
Concluding his remarks, Burke joked about “the perks of being chair”, telling members the road outside his home was coincidentally being worked on as he left for the meeting.
Elected Cathaoirleach of the entire county in 2022, cllr O’Brien thanked Burke for his “excellent work over the last number of years” and for how well he had worked with everyone from elected representatives to staff and community groups.
The new Cathaoirleach paid tribute to the meeting’s venue as well as the district’s workforce
“We’re very fortunate to have a great working team here in Killaloe MD. It’s very apt that we’re here today and I’m surrounded by people who not only have supported me but who are fantastic supporters of communities and community groups within the business of our district”, the Killaloe native began.
Cllr O’Brien gave special mention to his beloved Smith O’Briens GAA, having formerly served as secretary of the county’s first ever championship winners for many years.
While O’Brien made clear his pride in being elected to the position, he also stressed the importance of several key issues in the area.
“We’re very fortunate in East Clare that we have 3 government TDs. I think we have some serious challenges ahead on a political front. We have a proposal from Uisce Eireann to extract water from Lough Derg and pump it all the way to Dublin. More questions need to be asked by our colleagues in government and I need them to ask these very serious questions of their counterparts”, O’Brien outlined.
The Fianna Fáil cllr reiterated the importance of getting the Broadford sewerage scheme over the line and also referenced the potential “reopening of Crusheen railway station which will have a hugely positive impact on our municipal district”.
The Killaloe man also thanked the members of the media in attendance, adding “We mightn’t always like what’s written but I want to thank them for always having the full story. Far too often people are ill informed and go to social media and if it’s on there it’s taken as gospel”.
Concluding, the cllr thanked his family and wife Magella by “keeping him on the straight and narrow”, and for their continual support. O’Brien will serve as Mayor of the MD for the next 12 months until next year’s AGM.
