Outgoing Nenagh cathaoirleach Cllr Seamus Morris on a year like no other

Last year had been an interesting year and a very different year in which people came to appreciate that what was close at hand and was what was important, outgoing cathaoirleach of Nenagh Municipal District Council Cllr Seamus Morris told its annual meeting.

“One message that comes from the year is the need to support local business,” he said, paying tribute to the the business community as well as frontline staff.

Cllr Morris welcomed the fact that Covid-19 vaccinations were proceeding and appealed to people, particularly young people, to take the vaccine when offered.

He thanked County Tipperary chief executive Joe MacGrath for what he had achieved in taking two separate councils and the urban councils and amalgamating them into one authority and making it work.

Cllr Morris welcomed the level of investment in the county, across the Nenagh District and particularly in Nenagh town, and he stood in awe of the amount of projects.

“The amount of investment that will be in Nenagh over coming years is significant,” said Cllr Morris.

He said the most successful thing he had seen during his term in office had been Nenagh Live, set up as a reaction to Covid by the council and Nenagh Chamber.

“It was a fantastic initiative which showcased the range of shops and the quality of entertainment in Nenagh,” he said.

Cllr Morris also thanked various groups for the work they do, the community clubs and organisations, the nursing homes, etc.

He referred to the reopening of the Community Garden and thanked the Tidy Towns, Silver Arch Family Resource Centre, Rosemary Joyce, Nenagh district administrator, and all concerned, and particularly the owner of the property.

“This is a fantastic facility that is very important to the town,” he said.

Cllr Morris said that while the council had to change over the past year, the most important thing was that the business of the council had been done.

“We are all in the same business of making things better,” he said.

Cllr Morris wished incoming cathaoirleach Cllr Michael O’Meara, the best of luck during his term.

Cllr O’Meara described Cllr Morris as an excellent chairman who had a “geniune interest in all part of the municipality”.

Cllr John “Rocky” McGrath said Cllr Morris had done a “brilliant job for the town and the surrounding areas”.

Cllr Joe Hannigan said the outgoing cathaoirleach was a man who was “passionate about his community”, and was “not afraid to make a decision”.

Cllr John Carroll agreed, saying: “You were never afraid to speak your mind on issues”.

Mr MacGrath thanked Cllr Morris for his leadership and said that the district was in a “good place”.

He highlighted that there was €9m coming to Nenagh under ERDF funding; work in Newport was well on the way and there were exciting things happening around Lough Derg and it seemed to be getting traction in terms of tourism.

District administrator Rosemary Joyce thanked Cllr Morris for his work throughout the year.