Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the members of the Hillery family, particularly Professor Hillery's wife, Miriam, to the Distinguished Visitors Gallery. The late Professor Brian Hillery served, as the Ceann Comhairle pointed out, as a Deputy for the constituency of Dún Laoghaire between 1989 and 1992. It is wonderful to have so many of the Hillery family with us today. This is the 85th anniversary of Professor Hillery's birth. Brian James Hillery was born on 22 November 1937 at the family home in Miltown Malbay, County Clare, to a strong Fianna Fáil family. He attended school locally before going to St. Flannan’s College in Ennis for his secondary education. He then took a bachelor of commerce degree from UCD. After graduation he worked with the Agricultural Credit Corporation, ACC, in Dublin, before winning a Rotary scholarship to the University of Georgia in 1965, where he earned his master of business administration, MBA. A distinguished academic, he joined the faculty in UCD in 1967, where he became the first professor of industrial relations in 1974. He was called upon several times during that time to help mediate several disputes, of which there were many. Widely published, he was visiting professor in industrial relations at the University of California, Berkeley, in spring 1977 and also a guest lecturer at the University of Warwick and the Wharton School.

Professor Hillery married Miriam Davy in 1970. She is the daughter of the distinguished Irish rugby player, Eugene Davy. Together, Brian and Miriam had five children, Conor, Eugene, Cliona, Brian Patrick and Gavin. I welcome them, along with his sister, Joan, his brother, Tommy, and all the extended Hillery family, to the Distinguished Visitors Gallery. Brian and Miriam celebrated their golden 50th wedding anniversary on 18 July 2020. As the Taoiseach said, Miriam was a determined supporter and adviser to Brian who travelled the country with him and ensured his election to the Seanad in 1977 and 1983. With her support, he was elected to Dáil Éireann in 1987 to represent the Dún Laoghaire constituency, alongside former Deputy and Minister, David Andrews, in an exceptionally competitive and exciting campaign with former councillor and cathaoirleach of the county, Betty Coffey, which members still recall 35 years later. That tells us how exciting that was.

Professor Hillery was appointed by the Taoiseach to the Seanad in 1993, where he served until 1994 when he stepped down as a Senator to take up an appointment as executive director of the EBRD, representing Ireland and Denmark until 1997.

In later years he had a distinguished business career, serving as a director of many public and private entities while continuing his long history of public service as a director of the Central Bank and financial service regulator as well as chairman of the Independent News and Media, in which role, it has to be said, his mediation skills were called upon yet again.

Speaking to colleagues who served with Brian here in the Oireachtas, they always remember him as a warm, intelligent and courteous parliamentarian, great company and a man who made a distinguished contribution in his life. On behalf of all the members of Fianna Fáil in Dún Laoghaire, I extend our deepest sympathy to the Hillery family. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

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