By Sean Moriarty

Long-serving Killarney councillor Donal Grady will call time on his political career in the summer.

He made his announcement to step down at Monday’s full meeting of Kerry County Council.

Mr Grady was first elected to Killarney Town Council in 1999. He followed in the footsteps of his father John who was first elected in 1967. His brother Sean was the second member of the family to get elected. Both brothers served together for some time but with the abolition of Town Councils in June 2014 the family decided that Donal would go alone and that Sean would retire.

He subsequently won that seat and the following 2019 local election ensured there has been at least one member of the family elected in the county since 1967.

Donal said he has had many highlights in his 24 years in politics from securing houses for those in need of a roof over their head to more simple but equally important projects.

“I would love to see the skatepark finished before I go,” he told the Killarney Advertiser.

Grady pushed for this project from day one. Construction has been slightly delayed to the recent spell of rainy weather but it remains on target for a summer opening.

Donal’s son Martin, a key figure in his backroom team in recent years will be co-opted onto Kerry County Council at either the June or July full meeting of Kerry County Council.

POLITICAL CAREER

Grady was born in Killarney and spent his childhood between Killarney and Kilcummin. He was schooled at both the Monastery in Killarney and Clashnagrane National School, Kilcummin before attending the now-defunct Technical College on New Street.

After college, he spent a few years working with Liebherr before switching to Killarney Urban District Council. That led to a job with Kerry Fire Service and he was eventually promoted to Station Officer in Killarney until his retirement in 2005.

“The fire service was my great love and although the work was hard and often heart-breaking, I found it very rewarding. I am very proud of the fact that my family are still involved in the fire service today,” he said previously.

His first foray into politics came in 1999, he retained his seat in 2004 and topped the poll in 2009.

“I followed in the footsteps of my late father John and my brother Sean; politics has always been in my blood,” he said.

He served one term as Mayor of Killarney between 2010 and 2011.

Donal has served on many projects in the Killarney region including the Killarney Looking Good Committee, the Killarney Drugs Liaison Committee and the Killarney Twinning Group.

“I have always been completely independent of the party political system and, as such, have always been free to express ideas and support or oppose proposals based solely on my own conscience and my own opinions,” he said.