FORMER Clare County Council Chairman, P J Kelly has been described as a “West Clare warrior” following his sudden death in his sleep at home on Friday night.
Fianna Fáil in Clare, communities in West Clare and family members of the late P J Kelly from Lissycasey have left reeling after his unexpected passing.
Clare County Council Chairman, Councillor Alan O’Callaghan, who sat beside Mr Kelly in the council chamber for about ten years, said people in West Clare were “shocked” and “devastated” over the death of a “West Clare warrior”.
On June 19, the Lissycasey horse enthusiast was one of three councillors in the country with 50 years of unbroken service on a local authority.
The other two were Councillor Hilda Mary Kavanagh from Kilkenny and Councillor Declan Bree from Sligo.
Opting not to contest the last Local Elections, his departure from the local authority brought the curtain down on his colourful political career, which saw him regularly get involved in heated exchanges with council officials over rural planning difficulties and obstacles to rural development.
In the 2019 Local Elections, Mr Kelly (84) topped the poll for Fianna Fáil in the Kilrush Electoral Area with an impressive 2,147 first preferences, 617 more than the quota of 1,530, securing his election in the first count.
Councillor O’Callaghan believes the Lissycasey champion for rural areas would have got elected again if he had decided to run.
Despite his retirement, Councillor O’Callaghan recalled Mr Kelly was still receiving phone calls about planning and was still willing to impart his extensive wealth of knowledge and expertise, which was built up after five decades.
“P J Kelly never forget West Clare. He had three great loves in his life, his wife, Maura and family, horses, in particular show jumping, and the council.
“He will be remembered for years to come for his great one-liners, his way with words, his sharpness and great wit. I remember going on journeys with P J to Waterford when we were both members of the Southern Regional Assembly.
“There was no need to turn on the radio during the car journey because P J provided plenty of entertainment. He enjoyed stopping off to have a cup of coffee and a cigarette. He did a huge amount of work for Lissycasey. He was involved in the establishment of numerous facilities such as the Group Water Scheme and childcare facilities.
“As a water diviner, he sourced water supplies for hundreds of people all over the county and the country.
“When I joined the council more than ten years ago, I experienced a baptism of fire sitting beside someone like P J who had more than 40 years experience at that stage. He was always willing to give me advice, never led me astray and left me make up my own mind when it came to making a political decision.
“He was never afraid to challenge council management for the betterment of rural Clare.
“P J will be sadly missed by everyone who knew him,” he said.
Mr Kelly has been the subject of regular media attention at local and national level following his trademark one-liners.
During a public meeting about the provision of a golf course at Doughmore Doonbeg, Mr Kelly told an American company representative, you are in “Doonbeg not Baghdad” which he recalled went global.
Another quip about Doonbeg sandhills meaning different things to different people including a place for happy couples for their first experience of “amorous gymnastics” prompted roars of laughter during an oral hearing about Doonbeg golf club.
English and Scottish newspapers proclaimed Doonbeg was an ideal location for “amorous gymnastics”.
Concern was expressed about vehicles hitting off Cree bridge during a discussion at a council meeting, prompting Mr Kelly to suggest “subterranean speed ramps” or potholes should be used, which prompted headlines in the Irish Times and it was picked up by 18 radio stations.
Deputy Cathal Crowe said he was very shocked and very saddened to learn of his passing.
“P J was an great friend and highly valued political mentor of mine. We would speak several times a week and, indeed, only had our last phone conversation yesterday evening.
“P J was an incredible public representative for West Clare over decades – the decades part must be emphasised because PJ won a seat on Clare County Council in nine successive elections.
“P J was a guru on all things planning and took great pride in knowing sections and sub-sections of both the Planning Act and Local Government Act in great detail.
“Every speech he made in the Council chamber was memorable and new entrants to politicians would do well to study P J’s ability to say everything with a loaded one-liner that would invariably make the newspaper headlines later in the week.
“PJ loved horses, horse breeding, his VW Beetle and he had the incredible gift of being able to divine for water – it worked every time. There will never be the likes of P J Kelly again,” he said.
Deputy Crowe extended his sympathy to his wife, Maura, son, Barry John, daughters Aoife and Alma.
Dan Danaher
East Clare correspondent, Dan Danaher is a journalism graduate of Rathmines and UL. He has won numerous awards for special investigations on health, justice, environment, and reports on news, agriculture, disability, mental health and community.