Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I extend my deepest sympathy to the Ardagh family. I served with Seán in the House and everything said about him today was true. He was a man of common sense, dignity and honour and a man easy to work with in the Parliament.

Seán Calleary was somebody I knew when I was a member of Mayo County Council, the town council and a Dáil Deputy and he was a man that I respected greatly. Sometimes people refer to someone as a gentleman when they die but Seán Calleary was a gentleman, a man of honour and dignity and a man that I enjoyed meeting. We would always start off talking about sport, be it rugby, soccer, Gaelic football or the Mayo team, but we never finished talking without talking about politics. He loved politics and he loved Fianna Fáil and he served the people of Mayo and of Ireland very well. He was a man who had great common sense and the common touch.

I have to tell his wife and family today that he loved them and he loved Fianna Fáil - there is no pretending that he did not-----

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