Outgoing council Cathaoirleach says town is going from 'strength to strength'

His year had been “enjoyable but challenging”, outgoing Cathaoirleach of Nenagh Municipal District Cllr Michael O'Meara told the district's annual general meeting.

He said Nenagh was going from “strength to strength, and thanked the executive for their work on the sustainability centre on Martyr’s Road and the proposed Rialto cinema project.

Cllr O’Meara said the proposed traffic management plan for the town would be “positive” but warned there was still groundwork to be done.

Among the challenges the council had faced was roads funding and he thanked district engineer Barry Murphy for been successful in getting extra funding.

Housing was the “elephant in the room”, said Cllr O’Meara but he said Nenagh was to the forefront in how housing should be dealt with.

Among the highlights of his year had been the opening of the new tourist office in Nenagh and the inclusion of the district under the Hidden Heartlands brand by Fáilte Ireland.

Looking to the future, he said that Newport Town park should open shortly and he was hopeful work would start soon on the new Ballina bridge.

Paying tribute to Cllr O’Meara, his fellow Lowry Team colleague Cllr John “Rocky” McGrath said that they were “proud” in how Cllr O’Meara had handled things in a difficult time.

District manager Marcus O’Connor said Cllr O’Meara had been a “really good Cathaoirleach, who fought hard to get results”.