Cork man appointed chief of staff for British prime minister  

Macroom man Morgan McSweeney has been appointed as the new chief of staff for British prime minister Keir Starmer at Number 10 Downing Street, following the announcement yesterday afternoon of the resignation of Northern Ireland civil servant Sue Gray.

Keir Starmer’s chief adviser and former Labour general election campaign director, Mr McSweeney, aged 47, is credited with playing a key role in Mr Starmer’s election as successor to Jeremy Corbyn as Labour Party leader as well as masterminding the party’s landslide victory in the July general election.

Football

Mr McSweeney attended Macroom De La Salle College, played football with Macroom GAA and was team mascot when they won the county championship in the 1980s.

He is married to Scottish Labour MP Imogen Walker and was inspired by the Good Friday Agreement to join the Labour Party after attending Middlesex University.

He is the son of Macroom accountant Tim and Carmel McSweeney.

The McSweeney family are Fine Gael supporters and Morgan often campaigned for Michael Creed, the soon to be retiring TD, and his father before him, the late Donal Creed.

He is also the first cousin to Clare Mungovan, who is key adviser in the inner cabinet of officials of Taoiseach Simon Harris.

Mr McSweeney rarely speaks to media, instead seeing his role as being in the background and allowing elected MPs and ministers to speak on behalf of the Labour Party.

Acumen

Cork North West Fine Gael TD Michael Creed said what he described as the continued rise of the young Macrompian ‘continued to amaze’.

“The McSweeney family are steeped in Fine Gael and I have been the beneficiary of their support and advice and of the political acumen for all of my career” he said.

“Maybe, just maybe, this is no accident but rather the workout on the bigger stage of political DNA that had its roots locally and is finally being recognised.” 

Remarking on the appointment of Morgan’s cousin, Clare Mungovan, as an adviser to three successive FG Taoisigh including the current incumbent, Mr Harris. “Not just a coincidence but due recognition of excellence,” he said.

Delight

Macroom Fine Gael councillor Ted Lucey expressed his delight that the town now had a direct line to Downing Street to add to its close connection to the Taoiseach’s office.

“It’s great, I’d know Morgan’s parents well and himself to see,” said Mr Lucey. 

“He’s a man of great ability as is obvious from the general election result recently.

“Who knows, it might mean that Keir Starmer could be visiting Macroom in the future!”

The town also has a connection to the Governor of Massachusetts, Maura Healey, whose ancestors hailed from the town.

It goes to show that the old adage about Macroom, that it’s the town that never reared a fool, still holds true today!