Councillors pay tribute to the late John O'Mahony
Mayo County Councillors paid tribute to the late John O'Mahony at a meeting of the local authority.
Warm tributes were paid to the late John O’Mahony by members of Mayo County Council at their monthly meeting last Monday.
A minute's silence was observed as Cathaoirleach, Cllr John O’Hara, said Mr O'Mahony was “one of the best” that Mayo has ever produced.
His Fine Gael colleague, Cllr Neil Cruise said John’s life was one of achievement in the fields of education, football and politics.
“John was a supreme educator. He gave freely of his time. He had an interest in people and in helping them. The one thing that struck me when I saw all the people who made comments about John’s life over the last number of days is that John O’Mahony empowered people. He got the best out of them by empowering them,” said Cllr Cruise.
He said John’s managerial achievements in Gaelic football will “never be surpassed” and paid tribute to the caring and considered politician, who represented Mayo in the Dáil from 2007 to 2016 and in the Seanad from 2016 to 2020.
“He was very diligent politician, and his own personal traits came through. His caring and wanting to get a result for people was at the back of everything he did. He would wait in the background, measure things up and then come in with a very measured response,” said Cllr Cruise.
Fianna Fáil’s Damien Ryan said John was “a colossus” in sporting circles who went on to become an influential political figure.
“He was taken far too soon,” said Cllr Ryan. “It’s a sad day for East Mayo and a sad day for the county."
Cllr Jarlath Munnelly said the entire county has been left reeling following the loss of a “wonderful man".
“It was a privilege to know the man who was such an inspiring individual in every aspect of his life,” said Cllr Munnelly. "He inspired greatness in people around him and he didn’t do that by roaring and shouting. John was such a deep thinker and such a considered person. He would stop and really listen to people. He brought those characteristics and his deep considered intellect to bear in everything that he did,” he added.
Cllr Munnelly and Cllr John Caulfield remarked how important family was to John.
“He was a fantastic family man,” they stated.
“He contributed so much to the county and sporting life,” said Cllr Mark Duffy.
Sinn Féin’s Gerry Murray said John was an “extremely proud Mayo man".
“He was able to motivate people both on the pitch and off the pitch. John didn’t just suddenly disengage when someone walked off the field,” said Cllr Murray.
“He brought to public life the same attributes he brought to the sporting field,” he added.
