“Extraordinary public servant” Tom Kilfeather retires from Sligo County Council
TOM Kilfeather, a former Acting Chief Executive of Sligo County Council, and a Director of Services for the Council was the subject of heartfelt and glowing tributes from the Chief Executive of Sligo County Council and from representative speakers from all political groups in the Council on Monday last who wished him well on his imminent retirement which officially will begin on December 26.
Memorably, one councillor, Michael Clarke, probably put it best when he described Mr Kilfeather as “an extraordinary public servant”.
Mr Kilfeather returning thanks to the members and CE said the role he played “was not always easy but he tried to be fair with everyone”.
The Chief Executive, Martin Lydon spoke of Tom’s “many years of loyal and distinguished service”.
Returning thanks, Tom, who had worked for 18 years in the private sector, recalled starting his council career on March 5, 2001.
Tom, his wife Pauline and their family were wished well by councillors who said he should be “very proud” of the work he has done for Sligo. Councillors recalled his fairness, his passion for all things Sligo and his ability to represent Sligo at national level.
The cathaoirleach Cllr Gerard Mullaney said he was “lost for words” to describe Tom Kilfeather’s contribution to Sligo County Council. To the county of Sligo and to the citizens of the county over many long years.
He said Mr Kilfeather had a remarkable ability to “leverage” funding from Central Government for projects in Sligo.
“When we as members had concerns about the way some things were going he had an ability to ease our concerns, offer us guidance.
“In addition, his energy was second to none. He has done great work for Sligo and should be very proud of his record as a senior official with Sligo County Council,” Cllr Mullaney added. It was agreed that one speaker from each of the political parties/groupings would speak.
Cllr Dónal Gilroy, FF, described Mr Kilfeather as a “best friend to me, you were always in my corner”.
He said Mr Kilfeather’s fairness in dealing with all councillors was a comment he had heard consistently from all colleagues.
“You were so fair to us, but you did know how to use that word ‘no’ and ‘there’s no money’ and the ‘cake is only so big with so many slices’, but regardless of that there was huge respect for you.
“You will long be remembered around here such is your popularity and the regard for you,” he added.
Cllr Michael Clarke, on behalf of the Independents, said he was delighted to be asked to pay tribute to a man he could only describe as “an extraordinary public servant”.
Cllr Clarke said he was straight, professional to the core with honesty shining through at every point.
Cllr Gino O’Boyle, People Before Profit, said it is often the case that the public do not see or realise the work put in by officials such as Tom Kilfeather, adding, “but we see it, we hear it, you will be hard missed. “I know you don’t like the publicity, but it is unfortunate that this isn’t being done on a bigger scale because you have been an asset for the people and the county of Sligo,” he said.
Cllr Thomas Healy, SF, thanked him for the help and support he had given to him and his party colleagues and the help he had given to the community of Sligo. “You are involved in the community yourself, so you know exactly how us councillors feel. You said ‘no’ to us a couple of times, but there were lots of ‘yeses’ too and any time there was a ’no’ there was always a reason, and an explanation and a hope that maybe we could tackle it a different way and get a positive result. When you went to Dublin to get funding for this Council people listened to you, and maybe that’s what we are missing now, someone who can gain the ear of those in Dubln that allowed us to get that funding.”
Cllr Dara Mulvey FG, said he always recalled Mr Kilfeather’s ability to handle “scud missiles” being sent at him from all sides of the council chamber. “You sat there as cool as a breeze; I admired your ability to deal with all that. You didn’t say ‘no’, you always said ‘leave it with me’. In Fine Gael, no matter how difficult the problem was, we knew that we could approach you. That was very evident.”
Cllr Declan Bree, Independent, said in his many years as an elected representative “I always found Tom Kilfeather to be a gentleman, extremely helpful, not only to me, but to all those who sought his help, whether they were councillors or members of the public.
“His dedication and his sense of service to this Council and to the people of this community is widely recognised. That sense of service and dedication stood out over the decades. He never sought acknowledgement for the significant work he carried out above and beyond the call of duty.
“It can be said without contradiction that Tom Kilfeather was an exceptional public servant, who, during his period as a Council official made a significant contribution to the development of County Sligo.” Chief Executive Martin Lydon said Tom Kilfeather would retire from the Council on December 26 after many years of loyal and distinguished service. He recalled his first meeting with Tom in 2005 and how Tom may have been expecting an Irishman to walk into his office who was returning home. “But instead of that he met me, this fellow with a Cockney accent who went to school in Peckham. When I said to Tom where I had gone to school his reply was ‘what, like ‘Only Fools and Horses?’ admitting he didn’t know it was a real place!”
Mr Lydon said after that they got on like a house on fire.
“As everyone has said he is a true gentleman, he is Sligo through and through, he is loyal, respectful, compassionate, and he is a man who has always delivered for the county.
For me personally, there is no doubt that Tom’s kindness and support when I arrived in 2005 helped the Lydon family to settle in Ireland - there is no doubt about that. Tom has been a great support to me.” Returning thanks for the kind words Tom Kilfeather thanked the members and the Chief Executive for their kind words. Reflecting on those comments he said it was “not always easy but I tried to be fair with everyone”.
Alluding to the various councils over the years he worked with, he wished to thank them all explaining: “Because of all the councils here I worked with, I leave here a far better man than I came in.”
He said he enjoyed the meetings with the elected members, responding to them, meetings formal and informal, the engagement with staff and his own management team that taught him that there was “more than debits and credits to what we do and what the members do”.
He said he learned over the years that you must listen, even if your inclination is to say ‘no’. “You have to step back and think, can it be done in a different way, is there any way we can help. Not everyone has great health, physical or mental, not everyone has a job, a house and people need to be helped, and that was part of my job. Working with the members we tried to see how we could help those less fortunate than ourselves.
“I learned that from this Council and all the other Council’s I worked with. I thank you for all the tributes, I really appreciate them. I also remember today some of the councillors who are no longer with us and all I learned from those people as well.”
He said “there were good days, maybe not a pile of them; there were hard days in here, because we had it really tough, a few very sad days too”. Concluding he told the councillors: “I can sit here now and admit it.
“I don’t know how you do this. It is a tough gig.”