Long serving Longford councillor to step away from local politics

Fianna Fáil's hopes of wrestling back control of Longford County Council have been dealt a major blow following long-serving Councillor PJ Reilly's decision to bow out of local politics next June.

The experienced and highly regarded local politician confirmed his decision to step away from public office this week, citing health grounds as the main overriding factor behind his decision.

First elected in 2004, Cllr Reilly is among a select few of sitting elected representatives to boast an uninterrupted tenure at local authority level, having successfully been returned at four successive elections.

The proud Abbeylara man said had it not been for his own battle with ill health, a tilt at extending that reign into a fifth term would have been a virtual certainty.

"I enjoyed every day of it, serving and helping the people of north Longford and Granard until I got into bad health some time ago," he told the Leader this week.

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Given his two decades of service, it's perhaps not surprising that the seasoned local politician has held down a range of leadership roles in that time.

Among them include spells as Leas Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council, three and a half years as Cathaoirleach of Granard Municipal District, two stints as chairperson of the Dublin Mid Leinster Health Forum, chairperson of the Dublin Leinster Regional Authority as well as serving as two and a half years as national public relations officer of the Local Authority Members Association.

In reflecting on his time in local politics, Cllr Reilly said one particular token of satisfaction he would take with him was being able to hold down a Fianna Fáil seat which had previously been held for 22 years by the late Brian 'Batt' Lynch and Mick McCarthy before him.

That longevity prompted him to insist that as long as party chiefs adopted a prudent candidate selection strategy, his seat remained a Fianna Fáil one for the taking.

"I would be," he said, when pressed if he intended running again but for health issues, before stating, "If there is a good candidate selected they will hold onto that seat."

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In switching his focus to some of the many highlights and memories he would take with him into retirement, Cllr Reilly referenced his part in bringing about a €2.6m upgrade of Granard's Lough Kinale water plant, his decade long fight to secure a multi million euro refurbishment of Colmcille Terrace as well as spearheading the imminent construction of a six figure car park at the rear of the north Longford town's garda station.

"I want to thank each and every person who supported me, voted for me and placed their trust in me over the past 20 years. I was always honest and straight and worked to try and achieve as much as possible for the people of the area I represented," he said, as thoughts turned to how his legacy might be remembered.

"What I can say is I enjoyed every day of it, serving and helping the people of north Longford and Granard."

Emotional soundings they undoubtedly are, those sentiments, you feel, will be met with equal appreciation in households up and down north Longford this week.

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