Newly co-opted Cork councillors take their seats at County Hall

“Now that the elections, selections, and co-options are out of the way, we might be able to start planning our wedding.”

That was the declaration of Cork County Council’s newest Social Democrat councillor, Eamonn Horgan, of Midleton, one of five new representatives co-opted to sit on the local authority, following the election of five former councillors to Dáil Éireann at the recent general election.

Mr Horgan was speaking after his co-option during Friday’s meeting at County Hall, as he stepped in to the seat left by his party colleague, Liam Quaide.

Proud

His fiancé, Carol Marie, and their daughter, Léana Marie, were among several families in the council chamber for this proudest of moments.

Crosshaven native Patrick Donovan had his eight-month-old daughter, Hannah, in the chamber as he was being co-opted to replace Seamus McGrath, who had spent 17 years on the council. 

“This will be the first time since 2004 that there won’t be a McGrath on the council,” he said.

Two Fine Gael councillors were elected to the Dáil, John Paul O’Shea and Noel McCarthy, and their replacements were also introduced: Aileen Browne, a former University College Cork student union vice-president and the first female chairperson of Charleville GAA, told councillors she would keep her speech short as she would be doing plenty of talking over the next four and a half years.

Kay Dawson was devastated to have lost her seat in the June local elections, a loss she likened to “hitting a brick wall. It’s a very emotional day,” she said.

“I’m thrilled to be back: I’ve missed ye all so much, missed the job so much: It was a privilege to be a county councillor for the past 10 years.”

Another returning councillor was Ronan Sheehan, the former Mallow and Cork footballer, who was replacing new Labour Cork North Central TD Eoghan Kenny.

Chuckles

He referred to the 2009-14 term, and said it was a different time now, in terms of the availability of money. “I hear it’s great now,” he said, to a chorus of chuckles.

All the former councillors elected to the Dáil, apart from John Paul O’Shea, who is on his party’s negotiating team, were in the chamber on Friday and were warmly greeted.