This article is from page 7 of the 2013-09-03 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 7 JPG
A FATHER figure for councillors, a wonderful ambassador for his native county and a gentleman were just some of the words used to describe Clare County Council’s longest ever serving member who was laid to rest on Saturday.
PJ Burke, also known as Pa Joe, represented the Miltown Malbay Electoral Area from the 1940s up to the end of the 1990s, spending a record 45 years an Independent member of Clare County Council.
Cllr Christy Curtin (Ind) who gave the oration at the late West Clare man’s large funeral said Mr Burke would say he was “a councillor in the 1940s when council expenses were a penny ha-penny a mile”.
Describing him as an iconic figure Cllr Curtin said, “He gave good description of what a democratic representative should be. He was honest in all of his dealing and was an example to any public representative on how to deal with the public.”
The late councillor began his political career as a member of Sinn Fein but later declared as an Independent councillor. Coming from a long local political lineage, PJ Burke was first elected to Clare County Council in 1941. He held the position for only one year before Minister Sean McEntee announced the abolition of the local authority and the appointment in its place of a commissioner.
PJ successfully ran for election again in 1945 when the council was reconstituted. He lost his seat in the 1950 Local Election but regained his Council position in 1960. He retained his seat in the Miltown Electoral Area in five subsequent elections until 1999.
His father Tom was also a County Councillor from 1924 until his death, at the age of 65, in 1941. His grandfather, Garret Burke, was elected a Sinn Féin Rural District councillor in 1905 and later became a County Councillor.
Mayor Cllr Joe Arkins said, “PJ was very genuine. He wore his heart on his sleeve and was always seen as a father figure for colleagues. He was very much involved in the campaign for the development of health services at Ennis General Hospital and vehemently opposed any downgrading of the facility.”
Tom Coughlan, Clare County Manager, added, “He was a gentlemen and a pleasure to work with.”
Labour TD Michael McNamara said Pa Joe was a man who represented the best values and traditions of rural Ireland. He is survived by his wife Mary and family.