Doran takes the reins in Muinebheag

VETERAN Fine Gael councillor Michael Doran was formally named as cathaoirleach of the Muinebheag Municipal District at its AGM, succeeding cllr Daniel Pender, who will now serve as leas-cathaoirleach for the coming year.

First elected to the council in 2004, the Leighlinbridge native has retained his seat in every election since then and last served as cathaoirleach during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Outgoing cathaoirleach cllr Daniel Pender, who thanked his fellow councillors and council staff for their support during his first year as chair, said it “gave him great pleasure” to nominate a fellow parish man to the chair, who has represented the municipal district with distinction since 2004.

“He is a gentleman, and when I was first elected to the council, he brought me around the council offices and showed me how everything works and I really appreciated that, and it speaks to the character of the man,” said cllr Pender, who will now take over as leas-cathaoirleach.

Cllr Tommy Kinsella, who was recently named as cathaoirleach of the county council, seconded the nomination of cllr Doran and described him as a man of “impeccable character”.

Addressing the outgoing chair, cllr Andy Gladney joked that he had done a “middling to good old job”, which drew laughter from the chamber, before complimenting cllr Pender on his work during the year. Cllr Gladney added that it was not an easy job to do as a first-timer, but the councillors all shared a common interest of improving the lives of those in south Carlow.

Cllr Gladney said he was looking forward to working with cllr Doran, whom he described as an easy person to work with who stresses his point when it needs to be, while cllr Willie Quinn congratulated cllr Pender on his achievements in his first year in the chair and wished him all the best for the future.

The council’s director of services Padraig O’Gorman, on behalf of the executive and the staff of the municipal district, congratulated cllr Pender and all the members for the “very progressive” work programme undertaken and achieved over the past 12 months, which included a “fairly serious storm”, which the district is still feeling the effects of.

Mr O’Gorman said there has been “substantial and continued” improvements across the district, most notably in Bagenalstown, and he said the council would endeavour to make sure every parish and village in the area gets the relevant attention in the coming year.