Farm manager and former county council cathaoirleach

OBITUARY: Oliver Brooks, Killeen and Kilmessan

Tributes were paid at the April meeting of Meath County Council to former cathaoirleach, Oliver Brooks, as he was being laid to rest in Dunsany.

Mr Brooks, who served on the council from 1997 to 2009, was chairperson for the 2003-’04 term, representing the Dunshaughlin Electoral Area on the local authority.

He died at Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown, on Thursday night, 31st March, aged 74. His energy and enthusiasm, drive to live life to the full, and his care and concern for others, coupled with his strength in facing the challenges of Parkinson’s Disease, have been recalled in recent days.

A farm manager for Chris Jones’ Ballycullen Farms at Killeen Glebe, Oliver lived with his wife, Ann, at Killeen until his illness saw him move to the care of Ratoath Manor Nursing Home.

Steeped in Fianna Fáil tradition in his native Roscommon, Oliver was chairman of the Dunshaughlin FF cumann and Comhairle Dáil Ceanntair, and when Mary Wallace resigned her county council seat to take up a junior ministry in 1997, Dunboyne man Martin Long and Oliver were the candidates at a party convention to replace her. He was re-elected in 1999, and again in 2004.

Oliver was a local representative in Dunshaughlin when major infrastructural developments such as the new water scheme were installed, and new streetscaping, as well as the opening of the M3 motorway and the rail link to Pace, and was a major promoter of the golf club development at Killeen Castle, which went on to host the Solheim Cup just over a decade ago, as well as three Ladies Irish Opens.

An achievement he was most proud of was the opening of the public park at College Park lands in Dunshaughlin.

As well as serving as council chair, he was also chairperson of the Meath County Development Board, and the council’s strategic policy committee on planning and economic development.

A native of Taughmaconnell, Ballinasloe, Co Roscommon, Oliver Brooks came to Killeen in 1977 when Ballycullen Farms bought JA Mullins' Killeen Glebe to operate a beef enterprise, and he also managed a dairy farm at Kinnegad for Chris Jones. He had studied at Multyfarnham Agricultural College in Westmeath, and worked in Ireland and Canada before taking up employment with Irish Cement Limited on their farm in Limerick in 1970. Two years later, he joined Ballycullen Farms in Dublin.

He was vice-chairman of the Farm Apprentice Board, and chairman of Dunshaughlin branch of the Irish Farmers Association for a period.

In the early 1980s, Oliver was involved in a revival of hurling in Dunshaughlin and was a committee member and selector with the club. Fellow Roscommon man Gerry Flanagan was chairman, and the ‘Dad’s Army’ team won the 1982 county junior hurling championship, followed by victory in the intermediate championship the following year, and in 1987.

Oliver was treasurer and vice chairman of the club at different times and chairman in 1988-90. He played football for the Black and Ambers, reaching a Junior 2 semi-final in 1980 and captaining the junior team in GAA centenary year 1984, while he also acted as a committee member. He was a strong advocate for sporting facilities in the locality and as a councillor was instrumental in gaining what is now the club’s second pitch.

In Dunsany, Oliver was greatly involved in the annual Cross-Country Chase, an equestrian event run for 25 years for church, school and parish funds. He also enjoyed successful racehorse ownership, as a member of the Dunshaughlin-based Neighbours Racing Syndicate whose More Rainbows won the 2005 Galway Hurdle, and as an individual, with one of his horses named after his favourite expression ‘You Can’t Beat the Youth’. He was a keen sports fan and follower of Gaelic games, racing, and rugby, and was a regular to Croke Park, Lansdowne Road, and race tracks across the country, and at Cheltenham. Roscommon and Meath GAA were great passions.

He was a president of Dunsany GFC at the time of his passing, and the driving force behind its annual golf classic. Both Dunsany men’s and women’s GFCs provided guards of honour at his funeral, as well as political colleagues.

When he took over the chair of the county council in July 2003, he succeeded Rathfeigh councillor, James Mangan. It was a case of keeping it in the family as his daughter, Teresa, is married to Jim Mangan’s son, Michael.

Paying tribute, Meath East TD, Minister Thomas Byrne said: "Ollie was a committed and hardworking public representative for the Dunshaughlin area for over a decade, who will be sadly missed by his many neighbours and friends and his former colleagues in the Fianna Fáil party."

Oliver was one of a family of six of Joe and May Brooks of Taughmaconnell, who died in 2016 and 2017 respectively. He was also predeceased by his sister, Mary, and brother, Sean, and is survived by his wife, Ann, The Green, Bracken Hill, Kilmessan; daughter, Teresa, Riverstown, Rathfeigh; son, Declan, Kilcarty, Dunsany; daughter-in-law, Christine; son-in-law, Michael; grandchildren, James, Laura, Emily, Jane, Sarah and Joe; brothers, Frank and Kevin; sister, Theresa; extended family, relatives and friends.

The funeral Mass in the Church of the Assumption, Dunsany, was celebrated by Fr Terence Toner, PP, with the Kilmessan Church Choir participating along with family members. Burial followed in the adjoining cemetery, following which, Teresa and Declan paid tributes to their father.

A month's memory Mass takes place at 6pm on Saturday evening, 30th April, in Dunsany Church.