*Bill Chambers.
WARM TRIBUTES were paid to the late Bill Chambers as elected members of Clare County Council gathered for the first time since his last month.
On Monday, the September meeting of the County Council was fully adjourned as a mark of respect to the Cooraclare man who was regarded as a gentleman by all who came across him in the world of politics.
First elected to Clare County Councill in 1985, Bill served the people of West Clare as an elected representative for 38 years up until his retirement in November 2023. His final election in 2019 saw him secure his biggest vote when recording 1,431 first preference votes in the Kilrush LEA.
Bill’s highlight in public office was becoming the county’s first citizen in June 2016.
Proposing the adjournment of the meeting, Cllr Pat Hayes (FF) recalled that for twenty six years in the Council Chamber, Bill sat on his right hand-side. He described his former colleague as a “quiet and humble man”. He added, “When you sit beside Bill, he’d ask what are they out now, is it a vote or what, but what you got was loyalty, integrity and a man of the people”.
As Mayor, Bill “served with great distinction” according to Cllr Hayes who also acknowledged his contributions on the Regional Health Board, Regional Health Forum and Local Authorities Members Association (LAMA). For Cooraclare and West Clare, Bill “delivered for the people of his community in a quiet unassuming way, he didn’t deliver big speeches in the Chamber but he got the work done”. Respect for Bill from Council staff was evident in the “mass numbers” which turned out to pay their respects. “It shows when you go about your business with people and without getting into huge debate and making public statements, it is something I learned from him, he said we’ll keep it short and do it right. I know what he said to me when he retired, he said he’d give me a day canvassing in East Clare but unfortunately he wasn’t up for that, but we miss him”.
Seconding the adjournment, Cllr John Crowe (FG) described Chambers as “one of nature’s gentleman, he was an outstanding team player, a real good colleague, I’m with him here since 1999, if you had a question or needed guidance if you went to Bill you got it straight, he said to me if you’ve nothing good to say don’t say it, he carried that through”. During Bill’s term as Mayor, “the meetings didn’t linger, they didn’t run over time or there were no adjournments because Bill had no time for waffling. He did his work and did it quietly”.
A void has been left in the Chamber, Cllr Ian Lynch (IND) felt. “Whatever about being a great politician, if everyone lived their life and tried to aspire be like Bill they would be doing well because he was a great man. Friends come and go here every five years but we all miss Bill, there has been a void left by him inside and out the Chamber”.
There is likely to be a reunion in heaven of Fianna Fáil stalwarts from West Clare, Cllr Alan O’Callaghan (FF) quipped, “When I came in first I had PJ Kelly on one side and Bill on another side, maybe it is an omen but it could be dangerous to sit beside me going forward, they were two total opposites, one you couldn’t get anything of but the other you couldn’t shut up, they are together now in heaven”.
Mayor of Clare, Cllr Paul Murphy (FG) was Leas Cathaoirleach to Bill when he was first citizen in 2016 and 2017. “It was a pleasure, he gave me a few gigs to go to, I chaired a meeting, he was a giant of a man but a true gentleman. He chaired meetings fairly, he was fair to all, last December I was in Cree and Cooraclare on December 27th, I called into him, he was in good spirits, it was lovely to spend time with him, it was a nice time to see him in reasonable good health”.
How Bill carried himself and his manner was a learning Cllr Shane Talty (FF) took from his colleague when he was elected in 2019. “I remember bringing him home from a meeting in Ennis in 2023, some of the memories and words shared on the journey I will cherish, we are all the better for his service,” he stated.
Co-opted to the Council following Bill’s retirement almost two years ago, Cllr Rita McInerney (FF) said he was “a great mentor, a great support, he departed knowledge, he knew what was going on locally, he departed his knowledge freely, the one word people think of with Bill is a gentleman. He got his work done quietly, he was very passionate about men and ladies football in Cooaclare, very passionate about the GAA, health and disabilities. He was involved with my late father in making sure the hospital in Kilrush didn’t close. He was also very involved with Brothers of Charity, his family, his community and health were his passions, he was a great Fianna Fáil man”.
“Bill was an outstanding community man,” said Cllr Michael Shannon (FF). He commended his thirty years of service and recalled his first contribution with him twenty three years ago following his election as secretary of the local Fianna Fáil cumann. “All the time, Bill was a kind person, he did his business very quietly, if a turn was done for someone Bill wouldn’t blow his trumpet about getting things across the line, he always performed extremely well, his vote showed that. More than anything he was a family man, he adored his two daughters, three sons and his extended family”.
There was a sense of sadness in the Chamber, Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF) noted. He said he knew Bill for over two decades, “he did everything he could to help. He was like the silent man but things got done”.
Removal of the health boards in the 1990s was something Bill fought against, Cllr Pat Daly (FF) recalled, the duo often travelled to those meetings together. “Bill was a great character,” he added, “he was a man of few words but he got so much constituency work done. He was an outstanding councillor”.
After leaving Fianna Fáil, Cllr Michael Begley (IND) admitted that he became better friends with Bill and they communicated regularly over the years. “I knew Bill for fifty years, we were great friends,” remarked Cllr Gabriel Keating (FG). Cllr Tony Mulcahy (FG) remembered Bill as “a very nice fella”.
His level of service to the people of Clare “is an inspiration for all of us to be so dedicated to the community and people of Clare,” maintained Cllr Conor Ryan (FG). “Bill was a neighbour of mine down the road, his sister Rita lives next door to me. I wouldn’t be sitting here only for the retirement of Bill Chambers, I got great backing from his parish and the parishes of West Clare,” said Cllr Dinny Gould (IND).
Advice was generously shared by Bill, Cllr Joe Garrihy (FG) said when reflecting on becoming Leas Cathaoirleach in the West Clare MD after his election in 2019 with Bill in the Chair. “His main advice was not to say so much, I’m not sure did I follow it too well”. Cllr Antoinette Baker Bashua (FF) said, “I didn’t have the pleasure of meeting Bill but isn’t a measure of him to be spoken so kindly about”.
His namesake, Cllr Bill Slattery (FG) said he found Chambers to be “a true gentleman” during their nine years working together. “I was approached by a constituent about getting a pedestrian crossing in Cooraclare, I said it to Bill and he said to me ‘you look after the pedestrian crossing in Ennistymon and I’ll look after it in Cooraclare’, in a nice way he said look after your own business”.
An easy smile with a gentle soul is how Cllr Mary Howard (FG) remembered Bill. “I remember after our last meeting at the time of COVID telling him to go home and not leave the house to stay safe, he grabbed me by the hands and said ‘you stay safe too’,”. Cllr Pat Burke (FG) stated, “The word gentleman has been mentioned several times, he was a man I was very fond of”.
Chief Executive of the Council, Gordon Daly stated, “Bill was hugely respected by all staff in Council over many decades, so many staff have spoken so fondly of him to me and my colleagues over last few weeks, he had a gentle way. He will be missed greatly”.
Votes of sympathy were also passed for Joe Crosse, Noel Normoyle, Mary Hanrahan, Peg Burke, Eileen Gleeson, Ned Ryan, the Whyte family from Barefield, James Ball and Bernie Loftus.
