Seanad Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 1 Mar 2006

Vol. 182 No. 21

Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy.

Ms O’Rourke

I often think when called upon for expressions of sympathy it is a matter of no joy but of great concern. For the Fine Gael Party, this is an intensely sad time. On behalf of my party and its Members in the Seanad, I express deep sympathy to the McMahon family on the sad death of their dear father, father-in-law and brother, Larry McMahon. We are honoured that in the Visitors Gallery are Lorcan, Ronan, Conor, Ciarán, Niamh, Claire, Larry's sister, Sister Pascal, his son-in-law and daughters-in-law. This shows a huge family commitment and this big presence bears witness to the late Larry McMahon's strong commitment as a family person, a person steeped in the tradition of the family. This is a fine family who suffered a loss not that long ago in the death of their dear mother, Ursula.

I listened to the expressions of sympathy in the other House this morning in order that I would pick up the texture and colour of them. There is no doubt that, as a devoted husband, when Larry McMahon lost his wife, Ursula, it seemed as if the spark had gone from his life, which diminished within him the will to stay and fight his ill health.

He was a wonderful public representative, whether it was as a community activist, a local representative, a Deputy or a Senator. Throughout all the strands of public life he served, Larry McMahon brought his unique blend of commitment to community involvement, family strength and devotion to his own area or his own patch.

He served for 22 years as a Fine Gael Deputy and Senator. He was a member of Dublin County Council for more than 30 years. He was elected Fine Gael Deputy for Dublin South-West in a by-election following the resignation of Kevin Boland from the then Government and Dáil during the arms crisis. What seems a far distant event is not so distant, and it is epitomised here in the Visitors Gallery by his family who, as younger people, lived with him through those traumatic times in which he entered national public life. Great stress is rightly placed on commitment to public service, pro bono publico. In this consumer age, an age often seen as one characterised by greed, commitment to public life is not often talked about, highlighted or publicised enough.

I knew Larry McMahon well around Leinster House. He was unfailingly courteous and nice when one would meet him, whether on the corridors, in the lift, the canteen or elsewhere. He was pleasant, affable and somebody with whom one would like to linger and have a few words. That trait is one that is not commented on sufficiently. People either have it or they do not, but he had it in abundance.

On behalf of my party in the Seanad, I express our sympathy to his lovely family, his extended family and to his dear sister. In this House where he was an avid and hardworking Senator he will be remembered with great fondness. Equally, in Leinster House in general the remembrances of Larry McMahon will be of a good man who did his duty for his country, county and constituency.

Mr. B. Hayes

I would like to echo the comments of the Leader of the House, Senator O'Rourke in her tributes to the former Senator, Larry McMahon. The family were very pleased and honoured that the Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann, Senator Kiely, was able to attend the funeral mass in Boharnabreena last week. They wished that I put on the record that to have such a senior office holder, the Speaker of this House at the funeral of their late father was something they very much appreciated. It is difficult for a family such as the McMahons, who have seen the ups and downs of politics, to lose their mother and father within such a short space of time. Ursula and Larry were a fine double act, not just in their family but also as a significant source of stability in the constituency branch of our party for over three decades.

In recent years Larry was able to continue to enjoy his connections with the former Members of this House. One of the best recent developments is that we now have a retired members' association where former colleagues can come together regularly to meet and discuss issues. Larry enjoyed that very much.

Larry McMahon was synonymous with politics in Dublin South-West for over three decades. He represented his local community in Boharnabreena and the Glenasmole Valley. While the constituency has many problems and challenges to address, it is by far the most beautiful constituency in the entire Dublin region, comprising the Dublin Mountains and the remaining old rural parts of the county. He was before his time as an environmentalist in defending the importance of rural sustainable communities in large urban areas.

The Tánaiste said in the other House this morning that he saw the importance of villages thriving within Dublin because the city is not one urban sprawl but contains communities, particularly old rural ones, that need to be recognised. He grew old with Tallaght, saw the great challenges in that community and responded to them over many years.

As the Leader said, he was a distinguished member of Dublin County Council for almost three decades. He came to prominence in 1970, on the resignation from the then Government of Mr. Kevin Boland, following the turbulence of the arms crisis. He won that by-election and remained a Deputy for the constituency until 1982. He is one of a small group of politicians who had to fight three general elections between 1981 and 1982. He lost one and won two. The election he lost was that which led to a Fine Gael Government that lasted almost five years, from 1982 to 1987. Larry McMahon's family, and his supporters in our constituency, suffered grievously for a politician who had been on the wrong side of political destiny.

He enjoyed his time in this House from 1982 to 1992. On one famous occasion, in 1989, he achieved a win for the independent spirit in our party when having failed to obtain a nomination on behalf of his party, he received one from other Members and went on to win his seat as an Independent Fine Gael Senator. However, after the election took his rightful place on these benches.

It is a great example of a politician that he can win votes from all parties and none over the course of a Seanad campaign. The fact that he received a poke in the eye from the apparatchiks in Mount Street added to his campaign.

Ms O’Rourke

It usually does.

Mr. B. Hayes

It was a sign of the respect he had achieved throughout the country among council colleagues. He had strong convictions and a strong connection with his faith and believed that many decisions taken in the 1980s by our party and others were not the best ones. He held those views until the end, was sincere in his convictions and did not mollify his views to suit the trends of the time.

He was passionate about the European Union. He was a dedicated member of the EU Council, believing passionately in the European project on which he spoke here regularly. I admit I was one of the parachutists who came into the Dublin South-West constituency but he was very kind to me when I eventually managed to win the seat for our party in 1997 and then lose it in 2002. The late Senator McMahon was the second person to call to commiserate with me in 2002 and I will never forget that kindness to me and my family at that time. I greatly appreciate all the wisdom and experience he shared with me over that difficult time when I was deciding whether to remain in full-time politics. I sympathise with Lorcan, Ronan, Ciarán, Conor, Niamh and Claire and his sister, Sister Pascal. The family has lost a great father and a great brother. The country and our party have lost a loyal public servant. It is only right and fitting that the House takes this opportunity of reflecting on Larry's public service, on his belief in his political party and his belief in democracy; his service will be looked up to as the years go by.

I extend the sympathy of my Fine Gael colleagues in this House to the McMahon family at this difficult time.

Mr. O’Toole

On behalf of the Independent Members I wish to be associated with the words of the Leader of the House and of Senator Brian Hayes. There is very little more to be said. I served with Larry McMahon for two terms in this House. I knew him for many years prior to that because he was part of the old County Dublin constituency. Although Councillor McMahon was based in Boharnabreena which is the part of the county farthest away from where I lived, he had long tentacles that stretched into the middle of my parish. The extended McMahon and Ward family of north Dublin ensured that in the early days when the county was all one constituency there would always be votes for Larry McMahon coming out of the Rolestown box. His brother, Pat, was a very good neighbour of mine for many years. When I was a teacher I had great pleasure in having Larry's nieces and nephews as my students. The extended McMahon family has always been a fantastic family.

Larry was a stalwart within his party and within the political system. As the Leader said, he was a man of exceptionally courteous behaviour. He was also as argumentative a man as one could hope to deal with in a day's walk. He and I held many differing views on issues being discussed at the time. However, whatever arguments we had about issues either in this House or outside, it never became personalised; he always argued on the issue in hand and on the point of principle. He was a politician to be proud of, the kind of politician of which there are some in every parliament, who despite differences of views will be held in widespread and universal respect. He was prepared to exchange views and argue and engage with people who held views completely different from his. The creative tension between differing points of view allows political progress to be made. This was his great contribution.

My extended family of in-laws would have been closely associated with him and involved in the old County Dublin executive of the IFA and associated activities. I can assure the House that were he here today, he would have a matter on the Adjournment or be demanding a debate on what action this country was planning to save the poultry industry from avian influenza. He was a turkey farmer and had a wealth of commitment, experience and knowledge of the industry. He would be hammering the table and insisting on being heard on the subject.

Larry was committed to his party but he had rows with its members as often as he had rows with any of the rest of us. His great strength was that he stood by his beliefs and followed them to the limit, which is really all that one would ask of a committed politician.

I could say more but I would simply be repeating what has already been said by others. Caithfidh mé a rá gurbh duine den scoth é. Rinne sé a dhícheall ar son a Dháil cheantair agus ar son saol polaitíochta na tíre go ginearálta. We offer our condolences from these benches to the extended family and to his party. Ar dheis Dé go raibh sé.

Mr. Ryan

I served here for a good number of years with Larry McMahon. While we did not always agree, he was a person with whom one could have disagreements without having any serious personal conflict. We were always on good terms outside the House. He was a good humoured and sociable man, and was agreeable to deal with on a personal level. Without a doubt, he stood for, and did, what he believed to be right in politics. There is no better compliment one can pay to any active politician than to say that he was driven by beliefs that were more important to him than mere electoral success. Like the rest of us, he was not averse to trying to get votes. However, he never gave me or anyone else the slightest hint that his principles were ever for sale in order to improve his electoral prospects. He believed that people respected those who told them the truth about themselves. I respected him for that, although we did not always or often agree. In the greater picture, however, political disagreement is a minor matter. The quality of the individual is far more significant. As somebody with whom one could discuss life's ups and downs, Larry McMahon was likeable and respected.

Living, as I do, some 160 miles from Dublin, I would not have known much about his family but it is striking to hear the unanimous view of my colleagues on the intensity of his family's strength and support for him, and his loyalty to them. It confirms my views of him as a man who had convictions and loyalties that were based on what he believed to be right. He lived according to that creed, which is a good tribute to be able to pay to a former colleague. On behalf of my party and on my own behalf I wish to extend sympathy to his immediate family, his extended family and his party. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

Mr. Minihan

On behalf of the Progressive Democrats, I wish to be associated with the remarks of previous speakers in offering our sympathies to the family of the late Larry McMahon. I never met Mr. McMahon but anyone with an interest in politics, and particularly that famous by-election, would know who he was. Having listened to the tributes today, both here and in the Lower House, the point that comes across is his sense of decency. In Cork, they would call him a decent man. He made a contribution to public life at various levels and in difficult times. If we value our society, we recognise that it starts with our family, the extended family, the community in which we live and the extended community. The commitment made by politicians is not only made by them but also by their families. Not alone do we salute the contribution Larry McMahon made to public life but we also salute the support his family gave him in making that contribution.

On behalf of the Progressive Democrats I wish to extend my sympathy to his children and his sister. Across the political divide, everyone has universally acknowledged the contribution that Larry McMahon made on behalf of his community and the Fine Gael Party to the service of the State.

An Leas-Chathaoirleach

The Cathaoirleach and I would like to be associated with the tributes paid to the late Larry McMahon and to offer our condolences to his family who are here with us today.

Members rose.