Take Me Home Again

The bould Kathleen…

t took pretty much no one by surprise when Kathleen Kelleher was given a Lifetime Achievement Award at last weekend’s Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis.

Pretty much no one, that is, except the bould Kathleen herself, this Greystones blow-in of 47 years generally too busy with her community work to notice that flags were being unfurled in her honour.

We touched upon Kathleen’s incredible contributionto Greystones, and her long-serving dedication to Fianna Fáil too, last week. Meeting up this afternoon, we thought we’d give the lady herself a chance to thanks those who have helped this Boston girl get from there to last weekend’s Fianna Fáil podium.

Take it away, Kathleen…

Over the years, my children and grandchildren have stood by me and helped me with canvassing. It is not easy to live with a mother/grandmother when the phone is always ringing, and people calling to the door or stopping you in the street with problems and issues.

Thanks too, of course, to the people of Greystones who have stood with me through tough times. The country went through a very difficult period for a few years recently, but things have settled down.

I want to express my thanks to Pat Casey TD, who nominated me for the Fianna Fail Leader’s Award. With Pat standing alongside fellow TD Stephen Donnelly in the Dáil, Co. Wicklow now has two articulate and hard working Fianna Fail TDs serving the constituency.

And how can I forget Cllr. Gerry Walsh, who took up the challenge to serve the people as a County Councillor. Cllr. Walsh has kept up the FF tradition of hard work and integrity for all the people, and is seeking re-election in May alongside our latest recruit, Elaine Willis.

I have to give a shout-out to former Minister and TD, Dick Roche, who set me on the election path, and former party organizer, Sean Sherwin, who was always there with good advice. Which I now pass on to potential candidates.

As I am now Runai, or Secretary, for Fianna Fail in Co. Wicklow, my remit is much wider, and everyone in the party, from party members to councillors, TDs and CDC colleagues, are all part of my award. It’s their hard work that has always inspired me to work harder. I owe them all a great thanks…

Nice. And just how Kathleen has not only survived but thrived as a dedicated follower of Fianna Fáil we decided to find out this afternoon as we sat down for a rain-drenched Saturday afternoon…

With Kathleen announcing her retirement on February 19th 2020 from Greystones Cancer Support after 25 years, we thought we should put this remarkable woman back up on the cover…