AGM: Councillor Roger Kennedy has been elected Cathaoirleach of Tipperary County Council

Fianna Fail Councillor Roger Kennedy has been elected Cathaoirleach of Tipperary County Council this morning following the AGM of the local authority in St Paul's Community Hall in Clogheen.

The former Knockavilla Donaskeigh hurler who is living in Camus, Cashel has been ever present on the council since 2004 when he was first elected to South Tipperary County Council and is one of the most experienced and key Fianna Fail members, but this is his first time to be elected Cathaoirleach of the overall council. He has been Cathaoirleach of the Cashel Cahir Municipal District in 2017 and is Chairman of the Tipperary Education Training Board. He is also a former Chairman of the West Tipperary GAA Board.

Proposed by Cllr Siobhan Ambrose and seconded by Cllr Micheal Anglim, he said that he was humbled and honoured to have been unanimously elected.

Cllr Kennedy looked forward to the year ahead and said that he hoped the new County Development Plan would pave the way for the success of the county with agriculture and tourism to play key roles in this regard.

He thanked all those who worked in the frontline during Covid 19 and all those who provided such enjoyment through sport and the arts and helped to lift the mood and the spirit  of the people of the Premier County.

Cllr Kennedy also referred to the crisis in housing and said that while Tipperary County Council will exceed their targets again for the current year, there is still much to be done.

Before wishing the Tipperary minor hurlers the very best for the All-Ireland Final against Offaly, Councillor Kennedy, who was accompanied by his wife Margaret and his family members, was congratulated and wished well by members of the council and by Chief Executive, Mr Joe MacGrath. 

Outgoing Cathaoirleach Marie Murphy outlined a very busy term of office which began in the height of Covid 19 with the AGM having been held in a socially distant Borrisoleigh last June. In the interim she has welcomed the Taoiseach Micheal Martin, Tanaiste Leo Varadkar, Ministers Simon Harris, Heather Humphries and Dara O'Brien, as well as  his Royal Highness, Prince Charles and his wife the Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla to Tipperary - a visit which she said, she hoped would be of major benefit to Tipperary going forward in terms of visitors and tourism.

She hosted civic receptions and facilitated much work in the creation of the County Development Plan, which is the first all-county planning strategy for Tipperary. "We are chasing every available Euro for Tipperary and that will be ongoing so that we can continue to improve and enhance our county," Cllr Murphy said.

Pictured above: Councillor Noel Coonan who was elected Leas Cathaoiorleach of Tipperary County Council this morning.

Members paid tribute to Cllr Murphy describing her as a very fair, hard-working and available Cathaoirleach who put party politics aside at all times for the good of the county. Chief Executive, Mr Joe MacGrath described the year as being an extraordinary one for Cllr Murphy and said that she managed to deal with all the challenges with tremendous success. He was particularly pleased that the Royal visit came during her term of office - the visit to her town could not have been planned but it was a very special day in Cahir, he said, also mentioning the St Patrick's Day visit to the US which helped to connect with the diaspora overseas.

Fine Councillor Noel Coonan was elected Leas Cathaoirleach of the council having been proposed by Cllr Phyll Bugler and seconded by Cllr John Fitzgerald. A public representative at local  and national level, Cllr Coonan is also Chairman of the Tipperary Joint Policing Committee - his wife, the late Pauline, was also a member of the council. Cllr Coonan said that he was honoured to be elected Leas Cathaoirleach and looked forward to the year ahead.

Both Councillor Murphy and the new Cathaoirleach hit out at the many disparaging comments on social media in relation to the community in Cloneen near Drangan arising out of the sad passing of two elderly people - Nicholas and Hillary Smith. It has become very clear in the last few days that the Smiths had gone to some lengths to inform people that they were moving away from the community and no blame should be apportioned to anybody in the locality, Cllr Kennedy said. It was a tragic occurrence and the people of Cloneen and Drangan have been left traumatised by it all, Cllr Murphy said. They pledged the support of the council to the people of Cloneen. The Chief Executive paid tribute to Cllr Mark Fitzgerald for his role in the community in Cloneen over the last few days and said that it was a sad time for a very caring community.