Antoinette Considine congratulates Tom O’Callaghan. Photograph: Joe Buckley
CLARE’S NEWEST COUNCILLOR has expressed his hope that his experience in businesses and working with communities will stand to him.
Kildysart native Tom O’Callaghan became Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF) on Monday evening after he was co-opted to Clare County Council. He fills the seat vacated by Mark Nestor (FF) who left politics to join the priesthood and will assume his spots on the Ennis Municipal District, Social Development Strategic Policy Committee and Active Ennis.
His supporters gathered in the public gallery of Áras Contae an Chláir including Clare TD, Cathal Crowe (FF), Francie Daly, Seamus O’Sullivan, Antoinette Considine, his wife Marie and son Darragh.
He becomes the fifth co-option of this Council term following in the footsteps of Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF), Cllr Pat O’Gorman (FF), Susan Crawford (GP) and Cllr Liam Grant (GP).
Addressing Monday’s meeting, he said he was “extremely privileged” on “a very proud day for me and my family”. Tom wished Nestor “every happiness, I’ve no doubt he will keep Ennis and Clare in his prayers”. He admitted he was looking forward to the challenge, “every councillor has something unique to bring, I hope my experiences in business and community will stand to me. I am a team player, I know we have to work together for the people of Clare. We have many challenges, housing, health, the rising cost of living, challenges to trade and businesses but there are more positives, our tourism, our airport, our heritage, music, sport, agriculture, education, health”.
Strategies approved by the Council have “lofty objectives” and he maintained, “we have an important role in achieving those.
Proposing the co-option of O’Callaghan, Cllr Pat Daly (FF) acknowledged his predecessor who “over the last three years proved to be an outstanding hardworking candidate”. The active role held by Tom within Ennis’ Fianna Fáil Ceanntair where he will step down as Chairperson was also referenced, “Tom is a very successful businessman, he is married to Marie Enright who hails from a strong Fianna Fáil family, they have one son Darragh”. Daly quipped, “by proposing Tom today I have no doubt I could be putting my own career in doubt. I wish Tom every success but in May 2024 I may not be saying the same”.
Words of encouragement from Tom during the dramatic local election count of 2014 were recalled by Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy (FF). “I wouldn’t have known Tom very well but I remember him being very prescient back in 2014, I remember Tom coming up to me at end of first count, he said Clare don’t give up hope, he pointed to piece of hope and was studying voting patterns, I remember it very well, he said that to me when I was lying in ninth position of a ballot paper with 27 candidate, by the end of the day his prediction came true to allow me take eighth position with three votes which was firmed to five votes after long recount”.
She said, “The support of family in such an endeavour for what Tom is now undertaking is very important, Marie, Darragh and all the Fianna Fáil family are lending their support”. The Quin native paid tribute to Mark Nestor, “his departure is the right move for him but it is a loss to our Council and the Ennis MD where I observed his dedication and seriousness of purpose. He is a loss but I’ve no doubt Tom will do his utmost and serve our best interests. I look forward to working with you for many years to come”.
Lissycasey’s Cllr PJ Kelly (FF) noted how Tom’s parents Johnny and Evelyn were born in the same parish as him but that their son was born in Kildysart. Cllr Kelly described the new councillor as “my old friend” and outlined, “he is a man of vision, he has set out his aims in print, he is one of the best known new councillors to us all because of his constant emails. Every member of Cabinet knows him and so do the opposition. He has a big challenge in replacing Mark Nestor”.
With the addition of the Chairman of the Independent Postmasters Group, “it is very welcome indeed to our Fianna Fáil group,” said Cllr Pat Hayes (FF). “I really look forward to working with him for the good of the county, he will be a big asset to the county,” Cllr Joe Cooney (FG) predicted.
“You’ve taken the role away from me as being the newest co-opted Fianna Fáil member. I got Cathal Crowe’s seat, he’s gone to Dáil Éireann, you’ve Mark’s seat because he’s gone to the priesthood, you couldn’t have two more contrasting situations,” remarked Cllr Pat O’Gorman (FF). Tom has always been “totally and utterly community focused,” Cllr PJ Ryan (IND) observed while later advising him “the most important thing to sign is the attendance sheet or you won’t get paid”.
Ennis representative, Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) said it wasn’t just Cllr Daly that would be “afraid of the voting impact” caused by O’Callaghan’s addition as he praised his “ability to lobby on behalf of interest groups”. “As a neighbour it’s getting congested on our side with the amount of councillors we have on our side of Ennis,” Cllr Paul Murphy (FG) flagged.
That there has been a fifth co-option in the one Council term is unprecedented, said Cllr Gerry Flynn (IND), “You’re joining a strong team in Fianna Fáil they have big numbers”. Cllr John Crowe (FG) felt he may have to lend a helping hand to his new colleague, “I know Tom for a long number of years. He was a sales rep for Musgraves, I showed him the ropes that time when he was coming into the shop and he’ll be looking to me to show him the ropes again, he’ll have his challenges but everyone has to start somewhere”.
Tom’s addition made Cllr Pat McMahon (FF) think of his late wife Kitty who was an aunt of the new councillor’s wife Marie. “I was co-opted 47 years ago, little did I think I’d still be in the job after the sudden death of my father. My late wife Kitty, would be an aunt of Tom’s wife, she would be very proud to be here today. Tom has worked very hard, he’s well known in Clare and in Ireland with the post office movement. Two banks have left our county in recent years, he has a new pedestal to work off. Ennis is a thriving town with a great future, I’m hopeful he can add to that”.
Confidence was voiced by Cllr Michael Begley (IND) that O’Callaghan will make “a huge contribution” in the Chamber. “His name went before him before I got to know him, we knew about him about his literature”. A presentation given by Tom to councillors on the post office movement was recalled by Cllr Joe Killeen (FF), “he addressed us in the height of social distancing, he ran a very successful campaign. We’ll be hearing a lot about post offices with Cllr O’Callaghan and Cllr Talty”.
In the estimations of Cllr Mary Howard (FG), Tom will be the forty seventh councillor she has worked alongside. “You are filling big shoes, we were all mad about Mark, he was very easy to work with and wore his heart on his sleeve”. “People here had to put up with one O’Callaghan for long enough, best of luck to ye now putting up with two,” quipped Cllr Alan O’Callaghan (FF). Cllr Cillian Murphy (FF) praised the attire of his new colleague while welcoming him on board.
A strong impression has already been made, Cllr Ian Lynch (IND) noted, “You already have a serious platform and will be able to use another one to make a difference”.
Chief Executive of Clare County Council, Pat Dowling commented, “All I can hope is you will be less trouble than your namesake. We wish you well, you will have our full respect and support for period ahead”.
