Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I extend a céad míle fáilte to the Mulroy family and, on behalf of Fianna Fáil nationally and locally, express our deepest sympathy on a sad loss. The Mulroy family sat through most of the earlier proceedings during which tributes were paid to the late Deputy Nicky McFadden. Throughout it all, there was a common theme that she was a lady and someone with no enemies. The male counterpart in another era was Jimmy Mulroy. I had the pleasure and honour of serving with Jimmy. In fact, Senator Norris and I are the only two Members currently in the House who served with Jimmy during his period in office which ran from 25 April 1987, which date I remember well, to 5 July 1989.

It is astonishing when one looks at the life once lived to find in Jimmy's case that he covered so many areas of activity. He spent 30 years in Fianna Fáil contesting local and county elections in 1985 and general elections thereafter. I am grateful to Hubert Murphy who wrote a fitting tribute in the Drogheda Independent, which I would like to record. He said that for some the enduring memory was 1989, which I remember well as we all watched what happened to our colleagues across the country in the general election that year. Mr. Murphy wrote:

The Dundalk town hall was packed to capacity as Jimmy and Dermot Ahern battled for the fourth and last seat behind Michael Bell, Brendan McGahon and Seamus Kirk. They had battled two years previously when the Dundalk man edged it. All the way through the counts it seemed Jimmy was in but cruelly Brendan McGahon's surplus gave Ahern five more than him.

I acknowledge my friend and colleague Deputy Seamus Kirk who is in the Gallery. He will remember the time vividly. I was looking at the figures for that year. Jimmy actually increased his vote between 1987 and 1989. His time spent in the Seanad was very fruitful for him in a constituency context. The five-vote difference illustrates one of the most amazing things that happens in politics. I am sure the political pundits analysing the transfers at the time were probably saying Jimmy had it as there was no way McGahon would give Ahern anything when they were on opposite sides. It does not work like that, particularly when it comes to third, fourth and fifth preferences when many factors come into play. The sad reality was that all the way through the counts, Jimmy was deemed to be in but Dermot Ahern got five more votes.

Despite a recount, the result did not change. What a cruel outcome for Jimmy, having run in the 1987 election and having had the somewhat small reward of having been a Member of this House for a couple of years. I am sure he entered the 1989 election with great confidence, and rightly so. Cruelly, he found that the transfer system, the PR system, was to beat him in the end. It had nothing at all to do with him or his ability. It is just the cruel nature of the PR system. It worked against him on that occasion.

Jimmy was nominated to the Seanad at the time along with other distinguished Members. They were all distinguished Members. It is important to refer to the fact that Jimmy came in at the same time as the late Eamon de Buitléar, a nationally known figure, and Mr. George Eogan, whom some might not remember. Mr. Eogan, who still visits this House, was very much a specialist in archaeology.

Jimmy was mayor of the town in 2001 and 2002 and for a second time when the devastation of the events of September 2011 in New York rocked the world. He visited New York twice in the months thereafter, including on St. Patrick's Day, bringing with him the prayers of the Boyneside. He became chairman of Louth County Council in 2007, for the first time in his 22 years with the body. He was the first Droghedaman to hold the honour since Mr. Frank Godfrey, a great friend of all of us who are still serving, in 1995 and 1996. I am sure that the Mulroy family felt great pride on the election of Jimmy as chairman. My father served for a similar amount of time on Leitrim County Council without his ever having served as chairman previously. He would talk proudly about that period. I am sure the same was true of Jimmy and his family.

Jimmy formed his own company, M&L Manufacturing, in 1974 to provide switchgear to the construction industry. He was deeply involved in many aspects of Drogheda life. He was chairman of the board of management of Drogheda Institute of Further Education and of the VEC at one stage. He retired from his various roles in 2009. He once said that in politics and sporting life, he never made any enemies.

Most people in Drogheda and elsewhere in County Louth, in addition to the wider GAA family, will remember Jimmy most for his involvement in the GAA. As a footballer with his beloved Newtown Blues and Louth, he enjoyed exceptional success, achieving an incredible nine Louth senior football championship medals with his beloved Newfoundwell outfit. I am not sure whether Deputy Kirk ever played against him at any stage. If he did, I am sure he found Jimmy a very tough but fair opponent.

In 1963, Jimmy did something not too many Louth captains achieved, namely, lifting a cup in the winter league, the O'Byrne Cup, when the Blues made up almost half of the county side. Jimmy wore the red of the county seniors for the first time as a 19-year-old in 1959. He was an exceptionally talented young footballer. He lined out until 1971, filling slots from midfield to fullback. He got Leinster honours also, playing against Ulster in the Railway Cup final of 1964. When his footballing days ended, he went into management. The new role of team manager had been created in Louth and Jimmy was asked to take it on at the young age of just 32. He managed the team for three seasons.

My good friend and colleague Jimmy was married to Chris for 41 years. They remained devoted to each other until the end. I am sure the Mulroy family would like on the record of the House the words of a poem by Kipling recited by Jimmy's son Cormac at the funeral service:

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings — nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And — which is more — you’ll be a Man, my son!

Once again, I express my deepest sympathy to Chris, Caoimhe, Christine and Cormac, in addition to Jimmy’s grandchildren, Evan and Tess, his brother Dermot, sister Helen and many other family members and friends. He had a wide circle of friends, not least in this House. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a ainm.