By Sean Moriarty

Cllr Donal Grady will be replaced by his son Martin on the Killarney Municipal Council after the long-serving councillor called time on his political career this week.

Last month the Killarney Advertiser revealed that this week’s Killarney Municipal District meeting would be his last.

He formally announced his retirement at Wednesday’s meeting where colleagues paid tribute to his contribution to the local political scene.

Veteran politician today pulled up a seat to the debating table in the Killarney town hall for the last time as he attended his final Killarney Municipal District meeting 24 years after his first election.

The Independent public representative, who is stepping away from active politics, said he has very mixed emotions but the time is right for new and fresh blood.

It is expected that his son, Martin, will be co-opted to the seat at the next meeting of the council.

Cllr Grady served on the former Killarney Town Council from June 1999 until it was disbanded in 2014 when he won a seat on Killarney Municipal District.

“His fingerprints are on a number of projects, too many to mention. Killarney has been the better of Cllr Grady having been elected as a representative of this town,” Cllr Kelleher said.

Cllr Niall ‘Botty’ O’Callaghan recalled how the two of them may not have always agreed on political matters they remained friends outside the chamber.

“There was skin and hair flying at times but we went for coffee afterwards and that was that,” said O’Calllaghan.

Cllr Brendan Cronin: “He served the town and county with dedication.”

Cllr Maura Healy-Rae said “Killarney and its people were always his passion,” while Cllr John O’Donoghue said: “He did his service in the best interests of the town.”

Killarney Municipal District Manager, Angela McAllen added:

“He was hardworking and long-serving. He brought great and passionate debate.”