Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)

I wish to add my voice to the votes of remembrance for the late Willie Farrell. I served two Seanad terms with Willie, from 1989 to 1992, when I lost out, and again in 1997, and I remember Willie coming to my home town of Bantry in west Cork to canvass in 1987 and probably also in 1989, when I was not competing in the campaign.

I have a couple of fond memories of Willie. In early October 1989, I was in Sligo at a conference and met Willie outside the hotel on a nice autumn evening. He had got wind of the fact that I was likely to be one of the Taoiseach's 11 nominees to the Seanad, which was the first positive news I had got. We were all waiting and hoping, but Willie had some inkling after having been in Dublin. He gave me great encouragement and wished me well. I remember that I thought he might have been leading me up the garden path, because Willie was a lovable rogue, but he was not. He had obviously had some hint that I was likely to be nominated, and as it transpired, he was correct in that information.

In 1997, I happened to be running for the Seanad on the same panel as Willie, the industrial and commercial panel. I was down in Kerry canvassing and went to call at a particular house, which shall remain nameless, on a nice Sunday evening in summer. I waited an hour and a half outside this particular house, and I said to myself that whoever the hell was inside holding confessions must have been having dinner, after-dinner mints and everything else. It was a normal courtesy not to impose one's self if someone else was ahead; one would wait one's turn, which could sometimes take 15 minutes. However, this was taking a terribly long time. There might be differences in footballing terms between Cork and Kerry, my neighbouring county, but normally we are politically quite close. As I was walking outside the house, I heard the man of the house, who has since also gone to his eternal reward, saying goodbye to Willie. He told him that he could be assured of his vote and support, so I went into the house meekly, knowing that I certainly was not getting that vote. I said to myself that if Willie Farrell was getting votes down in Kerry, over the hills from my home town, he was certainly a strong contender. However, as it happened, we were both elected.

I have fond memories of Willie in this House, where he was a great contributor. He was the essence of a man of the people. He had no airs or graces, but he knew very well the fundamentals of politics and what his Fianna Fáil and republican ideology was all about. I am glad to be here today to convey my good wishes to his family, to Councillor Barry and to the great retired Oireachtas Member, Mattie Brennan. It is great that we are here to pay deserved tribute to the late Willie Farrell.