In the election count of 1991, three new bright councillors were elected onto Galway County Council. They beamed with pride as they marched into their first council meeting at the old Council chamber in the former County Buildings.
At that same count, a senior Fianna Fail councillor was devastated at losing his seat.
On the day that James Joyce of Lawrencetown lost his seat 18 years ago, the three newcomers — Willie Burke of the PDs, and Fianna Fail’s Connie Ni Fhatharta and Michel Regan — were thrilled to win theirs.
Politically, the world was their oyster.
Connie was seen as the new MGQ.
Willie Burke was seen as the ideal sidekick of the now deceased Joe Burke, the favourite to win a seat in Galway East for the PDs in the next General Election; and Michael Regan had, it seemed, all that it takes to be a long-term rep for the FFers in Galway East.
The quartet, who suffered differing fates that day, all suffered the same fate last Saturday when the four of them lost their seats on Galway County Council.
For Burke it was nothing new. He had already lost his seat two elections ago, but he bounced back to reclaim it last time out.
James Joyce, too, had made a comeback last time out and won his seat back on the Council.
However, for Connie Ni Fhatharta and Michael Regan, the reverses were very disappointing, even if the tide was against the Government, their elimination was surely a shock.
Willie Burke didn’t show at the count centre, knowing the obvious from early Saturday; Connie too was absent, as she was unwell. So it was Michael Regan and James Joyce who had to stand and watch as the grim reality set in.
Mr Joyce was the most philosophical — “The next time my name will be on a momument or a plaque, it will be on my tombstone,” he said jokingly, adding that he will now have time to start a book he is planning to write.
Mr Regan was deeply saddened by the loss of his seat and with tears in his eyes, he fulfilled the media demands and stayed on to honour the victors.
He said that it is too soon yet to know whether he has ended his time in politics — but Joyce and Burke came back before, so there is plenty of time for Regan, Burke and Ni Fhatharta.
FG’s Michael Finnerty is another who has made a comeback. Time will tell too whether or not he will continue in politics.
