John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Helena and all of the Aylward family and the extended family. I am reminded of the chill that runs down your back when you hear the next generation or the generation after that making their first contribution to Dáil Éíreann. I am sure that would not be lost on Bobby, if he was here today. I served with Bobby on the county council and in the Dáil. I also served and soldiered with his brother Liam as a young man in politics when he addressed meetings in the Metropole Hotel, and I knew his father, Bob. In all of that time, I learned from all of the Aylwards that family and community are the keystones to their political beliefs. Everything stems from that. When Bobby contributed either at a committee meeting or in the Dáil Chamber, he held firm to those beliefs. In the parliamentary party meetings of Fianna Fáil, he held firm to those beliefs and was not afraid to take on a Minister or anyone else who held a view that watered down the republicanism of the party or the policy that was being discussed at the time. However, he was never angry; he was always a gentleman. That hid the fact he was a formidable figure, representing a formidable family, as we have heard in the contributions made today. When they went canvassing, you did not see anything like it. Nothing stood in their way in their attempts to get elected. Again, that goes back to the values of family and community.

On the day that Paul Shefflin was buried, Bobby led out the guard of honour. He was at an advanced stage of illness and was very weak. Triona was there with him and we chatted as we left the graveyard that day. What struck me about that day was the sense of community and the sense of place. The Ballyhale Shamrocks, the GAA and Fianna Fáil turned out in numbers, and colleagues from the other political parties and none travelled to the constituency to pay tribute to Bobby Aylward and his family, to express their sympathy and to come together as a community in support of someone they had lost. When I spoke to Bobby that day, he was extremely weak but yet he turned out and walked the distance for his club and his club member. That underpins his commitment to the GAA, Ballyhale Shamrocks, the family and so on. It would be remiss of me not to mention Bobby's son Mark and his role in the game next Sunday. I know Bobby would be proud of it. I wish Ballyhale Shamrocks victory over Ballygunner. I am sure it is okay to say that here.

I also remember the 2015 by-election. I acknowledge the former Members who are in the Public Gallery today. It is not just the current Members who are paying tribute to Bobby Aylward. As friends, they have turned out today to be part of this celebration of Bobby Aylward and his contribution to Fianna Fáil, Irish politics and his own community. The party is represented by Seán Dorgan, who I see in the Gallery, and other people who worked with Bobby and became his friends. I note Joe Malone from the Kilkenny City Vocational School board is present. In his day, Bobby Aylward made a huge contribution to the development of the school. That contribution has been acknowledged by Cathy McSorley.

I became close to Bobby because we sat together on the benches on the other side of the Chamber. We were forced to sit together when we were voting. During that time we shared stories that may never have shared had that not been the case, because of the competitiveness of constituency colleagues and so on. I only got to know then that he did the crossword over a cup of tea, and that he loved watching the videos that are a bit craic on his phone. I also found that he knew intimately every single case that was brought to him. He was prepared to go the extra mile for those who came to him and for the community projects he was involved in. In whatever he had to do, he was prepared to go the extra mile. I have fond memories of Bobby. In the 2015 by-election, someone said he was the authentic voice of rural Ireland. That was very true. Until the last day that he served in the House, he served rural Ireland and the people of Carlow-Kilkenny. He made a definite and positive contribution. All of the Aylward family can feel very proud of that Bobby did.

Before I finish, I also want to mention Deputy Cowen. In 2015, he was given the unenviable task of pulling together two dynasties that were at each other for a lifetime in order to win that by-election. I do not think anyone else could have done it better than Deputy Cowen. May Bobby rest in peace. His family and friends can take comfort from the huge contribution he made to Fianna Fáil and to the country.

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