Longford and Kenagh mourns passing of political giant Louis J Belton

Regrettably we record the death of one of the best known personalities not just around Kenagh but right across Co Longford.

Louis Belton, better known as Louis, passed to his eternal reward after a brief illness in Mullingar hospital on Saturday last, November 11.

Sadly Louis is the second popular figure from Kenagh village to pass away over the past week after the death of Jimmy Finn last weekend.

Louis Belton was a member of a very well known family who have lived in the parish for many generations. Louis grew up in the local post office which was in the family name for almost one hundred years.

One of a family of four he attended the local national school and later St Mel's College. From his early years he was a great GAA man having been an active member all during his playing years.

Longford's late Louis Belton hailed as a 'formidable grassroots campaigner' by former Taoiseach John Bruton

Louis brought his own distinctive style to politics

He was a member of the long remembered juvenile team who won the first ever title for Kenagh club. He was also a playing member of the great GAA team of the 1960s when he was on the under twenty one team that won the county in 1963. He was also on the team that won the first ever Intermediate team of 1966. Incidentally, his last outing was to see his beloved Kenagh club win the county Intermediate title just three weeks ago.

Louis was always very proud of the fact that he was the last man suspended by GAA rules for attending foreign games by the Longford county board.

Louis was a member of a very politically involved family. When he entered the Dáil in 1989 he was the sixth member of the Belton extended family to serve as a TD.

He was first elected to Longford county council in 1979 where he served two terms before being elected to Dail Eireann in 1989 where he took his seat alongside his school mate Paddy McCormack of Derryadd who stood for Galway west. Louis was later elected for the Longford-Roscommon constituency in 1997. He also served in the senate in 1993.

All in all he gave the greater part of his life as a political representative.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar pays tribute to 'great Longford politician', the late Louis Belton

Louis had an auctioneering business before he went into politics. His late brother Paddy also gave much of his life to politics, being a member of Longford county council until his unexpected death. No doubt a man who played his part in both local and national politics.

We offer our sincere sympathy to his partner Anita, sister Maureen, many cousins, extended family, nephews, nieces and a large circle of friends and associates from his political career.

Funeral arrangements announced for former Longford Fine Gael TD and Senator Louis J Belton