"It's an honour to go from the fields to this": Laois Council district elects new Cathaoirleach

There were touching words shared in Aras an Chontae this week, as Laois County Council’s Borris-in-Ossory / Mountmellick Municipal District elected a new Cathaoirleach and Leas Cathaoirleach.

Outgoing Leas Cathaoirleach, Independent Durrow Cllr Ollie Clooney was proposed by Mountmellick Fianna Fáíl Cllr Paddy Bracken.

The motion was seconded by Rathdowney Fine Gael Cllr John King.

Outgoing Cathaoirleach Borris-in-Ossory Fine Gael Cllr Conor Bergin presented Cllr Clooney with the district’s new chain of office.

“I want to thank you all for this position. It’s a fabulous honour for me, to come from the fields to this,” Cllr Clooney said.

“When I stood for election, there were negative people in my area who said, yeah he might get a few votes. Then people turned out in record numbers, the Healy-Rae’s beat me by one percent!” Cllr Clooney said.

“It’s a fabulous achievement for an ordinary person in the street, that’s what I am,” he said.

Cllr Clooney paid tribute to outgoing Cathaoirleach Cllr Bergin.

“Conor, you brought this to a new level, it’s a big task for me now. Your professionalism and manner- there wasn’t a cross word out of you,” Cllr Clooney praised.

“There were no arguments here. There’s such decent people here, we have Michelle here who would help you on darkest night, we all appreciate her,” Cllr Clooney said, referencing Council Staff Officer Michelle McCormack.

“Angela McEvoy did great work, yesterday was a very important day for the district, with the rezoning of land. There is serious work to do to get these built in rural areas, and that was my agenda when I came in here six years ago, to get houses built when none were built,” Cllr Clooney said.

“Our District Engineer Rory is very obliging of us, he is doing his best. Our budget is getting tight, but we’ll work around it,” he said.

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“I want to see villages alive and well. I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart, it’s a great honour. I’ll do my best and I’m not afraid of hard work,” Cllr Clooney said.

Cllr John King was elected as Leas Cathaoirleach, having been proposed by Cllr Clooney.

“I would like to propose a good friend of mine, Cllr John King. He is a great councillor and I have learned a lot from him,” Cllr Clooney said.

This was seconded by Cllr Bracken.

“I mightn’t be as fast on my feet as you are, but I’ll do my best,” Cllr King said.

“We have worked together over the years and we will continue to do so. Onwards and upwards.”

Councillors and Council staff shared tributes to Cllr Bergin on his work as Cathaoirleach over the past twelve months.

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“I want to compliment you on great work, we worked as a team and did a lot of great work together over past year, and we know there is still a lot of work to be done. You did a great job,” Rosenallis Fianna Fáíl Cllr Seamus McDonald said.

Independent Mountrath Cllr James Kelly also congratulated his fellow independent councillor on his election, and praised Cllr Bergin on his hard work.

“We had a very good year as a group. We might have our political differences and areas, and we’re all very territorial which is a good thing as well, but well done to Cllr Bergin,” he said.

“It was great to get the municipal meetings outside of it, well done. You’ve just opened your business and it’s a tough time to get into a business and keep it going, I want to wish you all the very best. Best of luck to you and Ollie,” Cllr Kelly said.

Director of Services Angela McEvoy praised the district on their hard work, and wished the very best to the new Cathaoirleach and Leas Cathaoirleach.

This motion was tabled at the June sitting of Laois County Council’s Borris-in-Ossory / Mountmellick Municipal District.