A LIFE LIVED HIS OWN WAY AND HAD COMMON TOUCH
OFTEN CONTROVERSIAL, BRENDAN MCGAHON DIVIDED OPINION IN LIFE
BRENDAN McGahon, who died on Thursday following a short illness, was a firebrand politician who won many admirers for his plain speaking and courage, particularly in taking on the IRA, but he also garnered criticism for his often conservative views on social issues.
He was a proud Dundalk man who told his family and friends during his illness that there was no greater honour in life than to represent the people of Louth in Leinster House, and while he was outspoken and colourful in public, he was noted for his courtesy to people, including political opponents, in his one to one encounters.
Brendan served Louth as Fine Gael TD for 20 years from 1982 and came from a family that was steeped in politics. His grandfather, TF McGahon, a leading member of the Irish Parliamentary Party was one of the founder members of Dundalk Urban District Council, who also established the Dundalk Democrat newspaper.
TF McGahon’s son, OB, succeeded him to the council, followed by his nephew, Hugh McGahon. The family joined Fine Gael in the 1930s and Brendan succeeded Hugh on the town and county councils at the 1979 local elections. He was elected to the Dail in November 1982 and held his seat for five elections, until his retirement in 2002.
The dynasty continued, with Brendan’s son Conor elected to the council in 1991 to 1999. His brother, Johnny was a councillor until 2004 and Brendan’s nephew, John, was elected to Louth County Council in 2014.
During his years in Leinster House, Brendan rose to national prominence with his controversial views, particularly on republicans and the IRA when the armed campaign was at his peak. For instance, he refused to close his newsagents shop in Dundalk during the funerals of the 1981 hunger strikers, and he also gave evidence in the High Court in support of the Sunday Times, who was being sued by Tom ‘Slab’ Murphy.
He also held strong views on other issues and voted against the abolition of the death penalty, stated that rapists and paedophiles should be chemically castrated and was against the decriminalisation of homosexuality. However, he was liberal on other issues, including divorce and banning hare coursing. He lived a relatively quiet life in political retirement, but remained interested in engaged with politics, canvassing with his nephew, John, ahead of the last local elections.
Brendan was predeceased by his wife, Celine (Lundy), and is survived by his children Robert, Conor, Adele, Keith and Jill; brother Johnny, sisters Anita Murphy, Mary Cotter, Julie McMahon and Marcella McBride.