Veteran Carlow councillor lauded for 40 years of service

CARLOW county councillor John Pender was presented with a special award last week in recognition of his remarkable 40 years of service in local politics. 

The presentation, made by cllr Ken Murnane, cathaoirleach of Carlow Co Council, marked an extraordinary milestone that has seen him become one of the longest-serving public representatives in Co Carlow.

Since being first elected in June 1985, he has been elected in eight consecutive local elections, demonstrating the trust and respect he has earned from his constituents in the Tullow municipal district, where he was recently elected cathaoirleach.

The significance of this achievement was underscored by a letter from taoiseach Micheál Martin, who praised John as “a steadfast and exemplary advocate for the communities you represent,” noting how his extensive tenure has been “marked by both the breadth and depth of your contributions”. 

The letter highlighted his varied roles over the decades, including serving as the first mayor of Carlow municipal district, his work with the Irish delegation of the EU communities of the regions and his involvement with education and training boards, health boards and numerous school boards.

“It is clear that your pride in your native county and your passion for public service remain as strong today as when you first took office,” the taoiseach wrote.

Council colleagues were unanimous in their praise of John’s dedication and wisdom. Cllr Fintan Phelan described it as “a remarkable achievement,” noting how he has been “a great guide and a voice of experience” for new members entering the chamber.

“John has served the people of Carlow with dedication throughout all that period and that’s a testament to the strong vote he receives consistently in the electoral area of Tullow,” cllr Phelan said.

Cllr William Patton, the second longest-serving councillor in the chamber with 26 years of service, spoke warmly of his colleague. 

“I have had the privilege of soldiering with John Pender and it's like I've soldiered for 26 years with a legend,” he said.

Cllr Patton praised his political acumen, noting: “He can be quiet but when he opens his mouth you listen and you listen carefully because he’s very rarely wrong.” 

Several colleagues highlighted cllr Pender’s deep connection with his constituents. Cllr Daniel Pender said: “I’ve never seen someone who knows the people quite as well … Johnny is very well regarded by people up and down the entire county.” 

Cllr Tommy Kinsella praised his analytical skills, particularly during elections. 

“John was a great man for figures; he was rarely wrong,” he said. 

This sentiment was echoed by cllr Willie Quinn, who noted: “If you spoke to Johnny Pender six months before local elections and Johnny told you you were safe, you were safe.” 

The respect cllr Pender commanded was evident in tribute after tribute from colleagues across party lines. 

Cllr Michael Doran of Fine Gael reflected on the fundamental nature of public service, saying: “The basic thing about public service is you have to like people. If you like people they will respond to you and I think John over the years has liked people and has liked to help them over his 40 years of public life and there's a lot to be learned from that.”

Cllr Andrea Dalton described him as someone who has provided “a lifetime of service to Carlow, to Tullow,” noting that “he’s been an exemplary public servant and he’s always done his best to promote Tullow, promote Carlow and to work very hard for his constituents.” 

Colleagues consistently praised not just cllr Pender’s dedication but his wisdom and good humour in council proceedings. 

Cllr Fergal Browne said: “Johnny might not necessarily contribute much at every council meeting, but he will often be the wisest person here in the chamber and he can certainly read the way the wind is blowing.” 

Cllr Patton fondly remembered cllr Pender's various nicknames over the years, including ‘smiling Pender'. 

“Thank god he’s still smiling,” he said.

The independent councillor added: "I've always said to new managers coming in to keep one eye on John Pender and one on the rest of us. Whichever way John Pender is going to vote, the chances are I’m going to be following him because I know quite well he’s got the grasp of every issue going here.” 

 Many members of the council have experienced Mr Pender’s mentoring approach. Cllr Brian O’Donoghue recalled: “One of the first times I interacted with cllr Pender in this chamber was, I was about two months here and I made a comment about being a new councillor but feeling like a first-year student and that the executive were like the teachers and Johnny responded that in that case he was a leaving cert student.” 

This exchange left cllr O’Donoghue wondering whether cllr Pender was “in his last term” or most likely “going to run longer” than the rest of them.

Cllr Jim Deane praised him as “a good Tinryland man” who “has a lot of respect in that area and in the Tullow municipality.” 

Chief executive Coilin O'Reilly joined in the tributes, recalling with humour his first meeting with Mr Pender. 

“I think I realised the first day I met cllr Pender that I had a formidable foe. He asked me what party I was, I said I have no parties, to which he replied ‘everyone has a party’."

Cllr Anthony Gladney wished cllr Pender well, noting that “he’s been a very good friend of mine for years,” while jokingly adding: “if you want to know a rogue, Johnny’s the biggest rogue.” 

Throughout the tributes, colleagues consistently acknowledged the vital role played by cllr Pender’s wife Mary. Cllr Fergal Browne spoke for many when he said: “His wife Mary deserves a huge amount of credit, too. She’s a fantastic lady and no doubt an important part of the election successes over the years, along with the rest of his family ‒ Barbara, Suzanne and Daniel."

Cllr Jim Deane summed up the sentiment: “We all know behind every good man is a good woman and I would say Mary deserves a gold medal at this stage.” 

During his speech, cllr Pender acknowledged another family’s long service, recognising “40 years of service by the Murnane family, including TD Jennifer Murnane who was present for the presentation.” In response, cllr Pender reflected on his long career with characteristic humour, saying he asked cllr Andrea Dalton to ‘‘pinch me because the sort of comments I was hearing are usually being said about someone who has, unfortunately, passed on”. 

He recalled his early dedication to the role, including his work as chair of the Carlow sheep dipping committee, where he defended local farmers against allegations of sheep scab outbreaks on the Blackstairs mountains. When questioned about attending numerous meetings, he responded: "There were serious allegations being made about an outbreak of sheep scab on the Blackstairs and they were all blaming the Carlow farmers, so I had to be there to defend them."

Cllr Pender thanked “the electorate of the Tullow municipal district for showing their confidence and trust and faith in me over a long time.” 

He expressed optimism about the council’s future: “I think we have a great council here in Carlow. We’ve made great progress. I think we have always had a good spirit of co-operation within the council. We have our argy-bargies or disagreements or whatever, but I think we have a good county and it behoves all of us to maintain that, not alone to maintain it, but to also enhance and improve it in years ahead.”