Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I, too, join in the expressions of sympathy on the passing of Peadar Clohessy. I welcome his children and extended family to the Distinguished Visitors Gallery and the Visitors Gallery. He was an outstanding public representative in and from County Limerick. He was completely committed and dedicated to his family, community and constituency. Above all, he was completely committed to the people within his constituency, regardless of their political point of view. That was the marked key to his success, as articulated by other speakers.

It is fair to say and worth noting that the Clohessy family have been on the political landscape in County Limerick for generations. Peadar Clohessy followed in the proud tradition of public service which had been instilled in him by his late uncle, the former Deputy and great Limerick hurler, Paddy, and his late father, Andy, who had cultivated in him at a young age a keen interest in politics. They attended many political events and political party meetings together. This generated the spirit of public service which was to flourish and grow into a full-scale career at local and national level.

What rounded and grounded Peadar Clohessy was his many keen interests outside of the world of politics. They served to inform and help him in his role as a public representative. He had a notable interest in history, education, folklore, the countryside, farming and, of course, the GAA. Other contributors during these expressions of sympathy have noted his keen interest in the GAA in Limerick. He took to his grave the yearning for Limerick to put to bed the bogey of 1973 - Limerick has not won an all-Ireland hurling championship since - something we all share.

I was proud to have known Peadar Clohessy. Although his long and distinguished career never overlapped with mine, I express my thanks and appreciation to him for his often sound advice and encouragement from which I benefited. Outside the Chamber we all act as constituency public representatives.

In doing so, we travel the highways and byways of our constituencies. Many times, I had an opportunity to meet Peadar Clohessy at a funeral, a crossroads or a public function. In fairness to him, he always had time for me or to have a quiet word. I could ask for his opinion or advice. I am eternally grateful to him for that advice, his perspective and his insight, which he was more than willing to share with me. He had years of experience and a wealth of knowledge. It was great to be able to tap into them.

Proper mention has been made of Peadar's late wife, Jean, who pre-deceased him. From my contacts with the Clohessy family, I know that she was an immense rock of support for Peadar throughout their marriage, their life together and his political career. It is only fitting that she has been mentioned today.

In an obituary on Peadar written not long after his funeral, the headline in The Irish Timesdescribed him as a politician "who was committed to his native Limerick". This was true, but his overarching commitment was to his family - his sons, Andrew, Patrick and Michael, and his daughters, Alice, Margaret and Sinead. Their loss is immense. However, I am sure that they are warmly comforted by the considerable depth of goodwill that exists and will live on for a long time because of the actions of Peadar Clohessy in carrying out his role as an outstanding public servant. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

See this speech in context