Dominic hailed as ‘great ambassador for Wexford’
TRIBUTES were paid to former mayor Dominic Kiernan last week by members of Wexford Municipal District.
The monthly meeting of the body had been due to be held last Monday but as the meeting began Cllr Davy Hynes proposed that the meeting be adjourned because of Mr Kiernan’s sudden death which was seconded by Cllr Deirdre Wadding, a cousin of Mr Kiernan’s.
Cllr Hynes said that Dominic Kiernan had been a fantastic servant to Wexford.
‘Like a lot of people in Wexford I was surprised and shocked to hear that Dominic passed away suddenly. I think that myself and Cllr Kelly are the only two present members who sat with Dominic on the council.
‘I had an awful lot of time for him. We had a lot of scraps over the years but the one thing about Dominic was that if you had a row with him it was over and done with by the next day or even before it. He served as Mayor of Wexford three times, in 1987, 1996 and in 2003.
‘Dominic totally immersed himself in life in Wexford. I don’t think there is a man from the town that knows as much about the town as he did. When the community radio was first established Dominic was one of the founders. He had a hire business, ran the gym and of course was an auctioneer.
‘We also came into close contact because of that and I bought my house from him.
‘I remember seeing a picture he had of Charlie Haughey and telling him to take that with him when he was going. He was very found of Charlie.
‘Dominic helped a lot of people, often in ways that nobody knew about. Now it is more fashionable to say ‘It’s ok not to be ok’ but Dominic was helping a lot of people before that.
‘He helped me out of a bad time in the late 70s or early 80s. He was a great man for Wexford and served Wexford in so many ways.’
Cllr Hynes said that Dominic had been ‘synonymous with the Able Disabled club and he was involved in the whole growth of that.’
He recalled a story he had been told about a pub in New York displaying a photo of Dominic as Mayor of Wexford believing that it carried the same significance as it did in New York. ‘Dominic didn’t dissuade him that it didn’t’, joked Cllr Hynes.
Cllr Anthony Kelly said it had been a pleasure serving alongside Mr Kiernan. ‘He was a very good friend and a great ambassador for Wexford. He had so many friends in places like New York. Pic courtesy of the Loch Garman Band archive He was very jovial and pleasant.’
Cllr Ger Carthy said that Mr Kiernan had been a ‘Fianna Fail stalwart’ and extended sympathies to Mr Kiernan’s family.
Cllr Wadding said that Dominic had been her father’s first cousin adding she had known him all her life.
She said that it hadn’t been even a year since the death of Dominic’s late wife Betty saying the Kiernan children had now lost both their parents within the space of a year.
‘It was a real shock to hear about Dominic. His roots were very much in Wexford and his uncle was Kevin Morris who worked along the Quay. His family go way back in Wexford. Dominic was very proud of the fact that I was elected to the council despite the fact we were totally different colours. He was particularly proud of the fact that I spoke out about the mother and baby homes.
‘I think he did a lot of good for Wexford and my heart goes out to his children.’
Cllr Jim Moore said Mr Kiernan had ‘given a lifetime of service to the people of Wexford’.
‘One of the memories I have of him is the way he worked so hard for young people and promoting young people with disabilities. I think the political life of Dominic was very much set in Wexford and he did an awful lot of good works which was not always in the limelight.’
Cllr Mick Roche said that he had gotten to known Dominic through boxing adding he had only met him a few weeks ago when Dominic was still helping out with the club.
Director of Services Tony Larkin said that Dominic had ‘fought hard for his constituents and the community. He was so deeply rooted in the community that it is very hard to do him justice in this forum.’
Cllr Tony Dempsey said that the respect that Dominic had been held in boxing circles was very apparent. He said that at his wake he had met Billy Walsh whom, he said, would have trained in Dominic’s gym.
He said that Dominic had a very strong sporting background and had been a masseuse with the Wexford Hurling team, coached the county camogie team and also won a wrestling title. ‘He also played a huge role with those with physical and mental challenges.
‘He was also a great advertisement for public representatives. We all need that when we live in such cynical times. He was a good advertisement for the good that politicians can do and a great ambassador for Wexford.’