Cllrs pay heartfelt tributes to the late Cllr Damien O'Reilly at monthly council meeting

Several councillors were visibly upset and the deep sense of shock at the sudden passing of Cllr Damien O'Reilly last month was very much still palpable as his colleagues in Meath County Council paid emotional tributes to him at their October meeting.

Colleagues of all parties and none spoke of the Dunboyne councillor's incredible work ethic and deep commitment to his role as elected representative. He was always available at the end of the phone for help or advice and had a wealth of knowledge, with party colleague Cllr Padraig Fitzsimons describing him as their "go-to man".

"His knowledge, drive and level of performance was unsurpassed. He was possibly the best councillor in here. He will be so badly missed. If you needed to know something, you went to Damien, because he knew it all. He was so well read and so well informed."

Cllr Gerry O'Connor described him as "probably the most capable person" he had ever worked with. "We may have rows in here but when we walked out the door we were friends again. We didn't know it but we were beside a genius, and somebody who would have gone a lot further".

Many others also commented on the bright future he had in politics and how he was destined to go further with Chief Executive Fiona Lawless describing him as an "exemplary public servant" and a "true rising star".

As well as being hugely capable, he was also remembered as extremely affable. Someone who was good fun but was also known to be mischievious and a "great wind up merchant".

Cllr O'Reilly wasn't afraid to speak his mind, was "unashamedly straight talking and fearless", and spoke passionately about addressing anti-social behaviour in local authority estates.

To the forefront over everyone's mind was Cllr O'Reilly's partner Lisa, his daughter Carly and step-son Kyle and his mother Phil to whom sympathy was extended.

Fellow Dunboyne Councillor, Fine Gael's Maria Murphy said she knew him since he was a young lad and he was always destined for politics and was in it for the long haul. She told how long before he was elected, his mother Phil had told her he would be the next Dunboyne councillor and was so proud of him.

Cathaoirleach Tommy Reilly recalled that from the day Cllr O'Reilly's uncle asked him to take this "young fella" under his wing until his death, they had become "inseparable".

He said Cllr O'Reilly was always willing to help councillors of all parties with information.

"Maybe Damien put too much pressure on himself, because he was at the end of the phone or the computer, I would say 24 hours a day," he said.

Cllr Aisling Dempsey said: "To be a true public servant, you give it your all and he really did, day in, day out".

Cllr Joe Fox said having spent most of his working life in Dunboyne, he knew Cllr O'Reilly since he was a "nipper". He commented that Cllr O'Reilly was an affable colleague, always at the end of the phone and someone who transcended all parties. "No doubt about it he would have gone further in politics".

Cllr Eugene Cassidy said he always put the county above politics and it always came first. "At 40 years of age, he was very young but he probably did more in his 40 years than most would have done in a lifetime. Yet you still felt like he was only starting out. He had aspirations to go further in politics and I have no doubt he would have".

Cllr Brian Fitzgerald echoed this, saying" "We all know he was ambitious and I have no doubt that this county has probably lost a future TD as well as a councillor".

Cllr Eddie Fennessy spoke of the massive shock and said it really put things in perspective. "He was a very hard working councillor, we couple of tussles ourselves but there never any animosity afterwards."

Several councillors spoke of how encouraging he was particularly to new councillors, taking them under his wing and showing them the ropes.

Cllr Elaine McGinty on behalf of Labour Party said: "He was a really really decent guy. He loved Fianna Fail, he loved Meath, loved his family, loved football, adding that he was "very smart" and you knew he was going places.

Cllr Paul McCabe spoke of his political astuteness and how he was always watching others and keeping an eye on potential candidates while Cllr David Gilroy said: "If you want to learn how to do politics, just study his career, its an excellent way to show how politics can and should be done".