This article is from page 27 of the 2009-06-23 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 27 JPG
IT was another first for the Fine Gael party in Clare on Friday last when the outgoing mayor Madeleine Tay- lor Quinn handed over the chain of office to Shannon County Councillor Tony Mulcahy.
The west Clare woman was the first member of the party to be selected as the county’s chairperson so, when she presented it to the newly selected mayor, it was another first for the party’s annals.
As well as marking new begin- nings, it also marked the end of an era as the former TD, senator, mayor and councillor took a “break” from elected politics. For the first time in 30 years, Ms Taylor Quinn will not be an elected representative.
Friday also brought to an end the 54-year service of the Taylor family to Clare political life.
The historic occasion was marked with cross-party well wishes for the politician who maintains that she is not retiring, just merely taking a break.
Leading the well wishers was Clare’s new mayor Cllr Mulcahy (FG) who described her as a “great campaigner and politician and a great friend.”
Cllr PJ Kelly paid tribute to her on behalf of the Fianna Fail party, while the council’s youngest member Cllr Cathal Crowe (FF) said, “You were extrememly fair and represented this council well in a difficult 12 months.”
“T wish you well and think you now deserve a break,’ said Cllr Oliver Cream ea GaP
Cllr Christy Curtin (Ind) described her as a “wonderful ambassador”.
Ms Taylor Quinn thanked her coun- cil colleagues and the council staff for their support during her term as mayor.
She wished the new councillors well before vacating the council chamber for the last time.
Among those new councillors was Fine Gael’s Pat Burke who in his maiden speech paid tribute to the outgoing mayor and said his only re-
eret was that he did not get to serve etd aoe
Ms ‘Taylor Quinn had a distin- guished career in politics as the only Clare Fine Gael TD ever to sit on the front bench. She was a member of the seanad and a member of Clare County Council and also ran for the Fine Gael in the European elections of 2004.