*Dermot Hayes.
DERMOT HAYES’ outstanding advocacy and his ability to converse has put momentum behind a new campaign to have a bench named in his memory.
Corofin native Dermot died in January of this year, a month previous he was honoured by the Clare Leader Forum with a lifetime achievement award for his tireless work over thirty as a leading disability activist.
At Tuesday’s meeting of the Ennis Municipal District, Cllr Tommy Guilfoyle (SF) proposed that the local authority link in with the HSE to honour Dermot’s memory by naming “a bench at the new kidney dialysis unit in Ennis after Dermot, recognising his significant contributions as a lifelong advocate for individuals with disabilities and his role as Chairman of the Clare Branch of the Irish Kidney Foundation. Should benches not be part of the current plans, the team will formally request the installation of a bench in a mutually agreed-upon location with the HSE”.
Senior engineer with the Ennis MD, Hugh McGrath stated, “The principle of provision of seating as requested to facilitate the public at the kidney dialysis unit or another suitably chosen location is supported provided the necessary approvals are in place where the public space is to be utilised”.
“Our community lost a very valuable servant recently,” remarked Cllr Guilfoyle of Dermot’s death. “He fought day and night for better services for people more vulnerable than us. Dermot Hayes was one of the founding members of Clare branch of Irish Kidney Association”.
He said he had received the family’s blessing before tabling the motion. “Dermot always wanted a place to sit to have a conversation. When he was putting down his aides, he wanted to sit down and have a chat”. Naming a bench after Comrade Hayes “would be a small mark for what the man did for us as a community”.
Clarecastle based Guilfoyle continued, “Comrade Hayes always kept me on my toes as an activist, I was never let turn right, I was always turning left, I hope when the bench is there it will be a day for the community because he gave everything to the community and he struggled so much”.
Seconding the proposal, Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF) commented, “when you become a public representative, without doubt the first person you would have met was Dermot, he was the type of person you’d sit with and he wanted somewhere to sit, unless he believed then the conversation didn’t go further than a few minutes, he was totally dedicated to the most vulnerable in our society”.
Hailing Dermot’s volunteerism and activism, Cllr Antoinette Baker Bashua (FF) said, “He was a unique man and no matter how sick he was, he always volunteered his time and fought for everyone else. Tommy worked with him closely, he knows the family and where best this bench should be put”.
According to Cllr Paul Murphy (FG), “Dermot is missed, he was a larger than life character. The last time I met him was when the Clare Leader Forum recognised him for his work, he was in great form”.
Supporting the proposal, Cllr Pat Daly (FF) stated, “Dermot did so much work for people with disabilities in the county not to mention the lobbying he did for the new dialysis unit. He was so frustrated that Ennis didn’t have a dialysis unit”.
