Clogherhead mourns John Kirk
THE sudden death last week of Mr. John .Kirk has left a void in Louth Political Circles that will be difficult to fill.
One of Clogherhead’s best loved sons, he worked hard and unselfishly for its people, yet could be kindly and considerate in his dealings with officialdom.
Although a life-long member of Fianna Fail, it was not until 1974 that John successfully fought his first local election, and became a member of Louth Co. Council. And for the following five years, until last year when he narrowly failed to regain his seat, he represented the electorate with a dogged perseverance.
But politics is no respecter of hard work and it is a sad testimony to his passing that the people did not see their way to re-electing him for a further term.
Earlier this year, however, he perhaps received some small compensation for this setback when he was co-opted to the vacant seat on Drogheda Harbour Board. It is sad that he only took the harbour seat after months of bitter political wrangling within the ranks of his own party.
John, of course, had his own internal differences with the party, but to those who knew him well he was a man totally without bitterness. But then it is often men of John Kirk’s calibre, men without rancour or hate, whom God calls home early.
John’s motto was forgive and forget Life, he’ often said, was too short to harbour grudges. Indeed, some of his best friends were political adversaries, like Labour’s Peter Moore, with whom he often travelled to conferences abroad. And it was John Kirk who stood by former council colleague Alderman Con O’Brien in those bitter days following O’Brien’s expulsion from Fianna Fail.
His laughter, friendliness and loyalty will not be forgotten by them, nor by the people and fishermen of Clogherhead or the many bus conductors who travelled with him down the years. Neither will he be forgotten at Drogheda’s Tholsel, where every Friday, looking almost Chaplinesque, he sold many’s the good fish dinner. To his devoted wife, Olive, sons and daughters/we extend our deepest sympathy. Goodbye John, the Press will also miss you.
JIM McCULLEN.