Laois pride as Fianna Fáil celebrate 100th with special guest Taoiseach Micheál Martin

Laois Fianna Fáil members proudly welcomed Taoiseach Micheál Martin to the county last Saturday, February 7, for a gala night kicking off national centenary celebrations of the revolutionary party's foundation.

Led by a Killeshin Pipe Band lone piper, the Taoiseach and his wife Mary were welcomed into the Midlands Park Hotel, Portlaoise where a packed crowd of 350 politicians both serving and retired, their families and Fianna Fáil party members and supporters were all in celebratory form.

They included Deputy Sean Fleming, former MEP Liam Hyland, former Junior Minister John Moloney from Mountmellick, councillors Catherine Fitzgerald, Seamus McDonald, Paschal McEvoy, John Joe Fennelly and Padraig Fleming, along with Senator Fiona O'Loughlin from Kildare and MEP Barry Cowen, whose brother the former Taoiseach Brian Cowen was unable to attend on the night.

Liam Hyland, now aged in his 90s, stood at length after the gala dinner and gave a speech that reportedly drew tears from the audience.

Photos: Alf Harvey

He talked about his father being interned in the Curragh by the British and losing everything including their family farm for the cause.

Liam Hyland said that they never lost the spirit of public service and commitment to the party from its foundation in 1926.

An Taoiseach noted in his dinner speech that “through good times and bad Laois Fianna Fáil has always been one of our strongest local organisations – known for its commitment to our party’s values and the democratic republican tradition which has defined us from our first days.”

He acknowledged in his absence Brian Cowen as “a true democratic Irish republican”.

An Taoiseach with the Laois Fianna Fáil committee.

Mr Martin noted Cllr Seamus McDonald who marked 40 years as a councillor last year, the late Paddy Lalor a Vice President of the European Parliament, and Liam Hyland, John Moloney and Laois TD Sean Fleming “one of the most hard-working members of Dáil Éireann”.

“We face serious challenges, but no one can deny how far our country has come. This didn’t happen by chance. It came from the choices made by the Irish people and the leadership of Fianna Fáil and its programme of progressive republicanism,” An Taoiseach said.

Also guests were members of the Ukrainian and Pakistani community in Laois with Naeem Iqbal who unsuccessfully contested the last local elections. Other previous unsuccessful FF candidates there included Joey Kennedy and Austin Stack.

There was an historical display of old election posters stored up by members, including a vintage framed 'Welcome to Fianna Fáil Country” poster, printed by the Leinster Express that was presented as a gift to An Taoiseach.

There were copies of the Irish constitution for all to take home.

The Taoiseach spoke at the event to the Leinster Express.

“This is a major event to celebrate 100 years of Fianna Fáil in existence, and to pay tribute to all of the representatives at national and local level since the foundation, who have made an enormous contribution to the development of this country, the development of Laois and internationally.

“And we look forward to the next centenary now,” the Taoiseach Micheál Martin said.

“Standout moments when we look at the history, Bunracht na hÉireann the first of its kind in the world in many ways, a constitution by popular referendum.

“Also a constitution that put limits on the power of those elected, very unusual that any revolutionary body would get into power and put limits on their power, at a time when fascism was all over Europe.

“Free education, the housing scheme that ended the tenements, those are some of the significant social achievements of the party.

“Also being a party of international engagement, in the League of Nations, the United Nations, and bringing us into the European Union. We remain proudly internationalist in our outlook,” he said.

See photos from the night here.

Laois FF secretary Eimhin McEvoy from Ballyfin spoke.

“1926 is the founding of our party and it's been an amazing 100 years of achievement. Back in 1926, there had just been a famine, 26% of the adult population was unemployed, 50% of the urban population lived in slums, 38% in rural areas lived in mud cabins.

“On the brighter side, Ballyfin House with 600 acres sold for £10,000, and a pint of Guinness was 2 and a half pence.

“There's been a transformation in Ireland, in life and the economy, and Fianna Fáil has been at the very forefront of that, due to foresight, and making the hard and often unpopular decisions,” Eimhin said.

WATCH: Video of Laois Fianna Fáil's celebration night with Taoiseach Micheál Martin

William Delaney is chair of Laois Fianna Fáil.

“It's a special night for us and for Fianna Fáil in general,” he told the Leinster Express / Laois Live.

“This event kicks off the national celebration. We are the first event nationally to commemorate the 100 years of Fianna Fáil. For the Taoiseach and the party, that's a big deal for us to host the Taoiseach and look back on our own history.

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“I'm not sure if he'll be visiting every constituency but we made sure and got him in early for Laois.”

The first Laois Fianna Fáil member to be elected was PJ Gorry, but before him was a man who was a member of Sinn Féin at the time, and then transferred over, called Thomas Tynan from Ballybrittas.

“We've had members of the party represent us at Seanad level, Minister level, junior Minister and two MEPs so we have been well represented,” William said.