Honour in Laois to Donegal man who made Portarlington his home

The official unveiling of ‘Niall McElwaine Road’ in Portarlington, in recognition of his lifelong contribution to the community, took place on Monday, November 28.

The Leas Cathaoirleach of Laois County County Council Cllr PJ Kelly spoke of Niall’s dedication to the local community and his efforts which led to the building of Portarlington Swimming Pool in 1974 along with the huge commitment of other volunteers such as Paddy Burbage, Leo Dempsey and Liam Hynan.

In attendance at the ceremony were Niall’s family, his widow Betty, children Niamh, Aidan and Emer, grandson Cillian, daughter in law Anne, and son in law Patrick.

Niall's daughter Emer McElwaine spoke on behalf of the family. “We are very grateful to Laois County Council and all the councillors involved, especially Aidan Mullins, for this great tribute to Niall. A lot of work, effort and time have gone into this coming to fruition.

"We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who joined us, especially family who travelled from Donegal, Clane, Kilkenny and Galway, to help celebrate this very special occasion.”