James Bannon (Fine Gael)

As Senator Dardis said, seven members of the Belton family became Deputies in Dáil Éireann and we all know Louis Belton and Avril Doyle. I worked with Mr. Louis Belton on the council. A Belton commands the ship in Longford. Councillor Paddy Belton is mayor, or captain, of the county and he is a cousin of the late Luke Belton. At one time there were three Beltons on Longford County Council, all cousins, and that was a record. It has not happened in any other local authority, so they made history.

I knew Luke Belton. I met him when he used to visit his cousins in Longford. He never lost contact with his roots. When he came to Longford he would always take one, two or three days to visit every member of his family. When I was very young he visited his cousins in my parish of Legan and gave me five shillings.