There have glowing tributes to Cllr Roger Kennedy (third, right) for the way he performed as Cathaoirleach of Tipperary County Council over the past year. One of the highlights of his year was welcoming the Rose of Tralee contestants to Tipperary last year. Pictured at the event, from left are: Elizabeth Nallen Bowen Hotel Minella; Joe McGrath, Chief Executive Tipperary Co Council; Tipperary Rose Aisling O’ Donovan, Cllr Roger Kennedy, Cathaoirleach;; Steve Conly, Commercial Manager Rose of Tralee International Festival, and Ciarán O’ Connell Tipperary Rose centre Co-Ordinator.

Tributes to outgoing council leader Cllr Roger Kennedy

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Glowing tributes were paid to the outgoing Cathaoirleach of Tipperary County Council, Roger Kennedy,  when he stepped down on Friday of last week after praise from representatives of all political parties and local authority officials for his performance during his 12-months term in office.

Addressing the Annual General Meeting of the council, staged in the Knockavilla Community Centre in heart of Cllr Kennedy’s home parish on Friday last, Fine Gael’s Cllr Marie Murphy praised the Fianna Fáil councillor for his “extremely effective” performance as Cathaoirleach.

Fellow Fianna Fáil councillor Siobhan Ambrose told Cllr Kennedy he had done the council, his family and himself proud for the way he led the way in his leadership role.

Council Chief Executive Joe MacGrath said it was an absolute honour to have worked with Cllr Kennedy. “You have shown outstanding commitment to your role as Cathaoirleach,” said Mr MacGrath, who noted that Cllr Kennedy had attended a total of 190 public engagements in his 12 months as the leading elected member of the council.

“You travelled up and down the county and back again to attend functions and you didn’t let anyone down. You were always on time for functions and always generous with your time.”

Mr MacGrath added: “Roger Kennedy has extraordinary experience as a councillor, and that showed. He always says the right thing and that comes from experience.”

The council chief thanked Cllr Kennedy for the support offered to him personally and to the staff of the council in general. He had just completed what was “an extraordinary year of public service to County Tipperary.”

In his outgoing address, Cllr Kennedy listed off numerous successful developments that had occurred throughout the county during his time as Cathaoirleach, including local projects such as the progression of plans to enhance Nenagh’s historic quarter, the signing of the contract to build a new bridge over the Shannon at Ballina/Killaloe, the launch of plans for a new multi-purpose sports facility at the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) in Thurles, and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Tipperary and the State of Maryland in the US.

Cllr Kennedy thanked the outgoing Leas Cathaoirleach, Cllr Noel Coonan, saying his experience and support in his deputising role had proven invaluable over the past year.

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