Dear Editor,
Reading your Grassroots column of last week I was surprised at its tone, the lack of understanding of the political system and the insulting references to the many men and women who held the office of Mayor of our great city over its political history.
I for one do not need to be lectured by the ill informed of my responsibilities as a candidate or indeed as a councillor should I be elected, my parents led by example. From humble beginnings my father, with unwavering support from my mother, worked his way through borough council and county council to become Mayor of Kilkenny on seven different occasions, a modest return, considering he spent almost fifty years working as an unpaid councillor.
He was elected as Mayor by the sitting councillors of that time using the same system of voting as today. To suggest that there was a “serious fault” which allowed such great names as the late Tommy Martin, Margaret Tynan, Kieran Crotty, Luke Boyle or my late father Mick McGuinness to take office is an insult to these men and women who worked tirelessly for Kilkenny at a time when work was hard and money scarce. To try and draw a distinction between the Mayoral elections of the 60s, 70s and 80s and the election of the present-day Mayor, which use the same voting system, points to an underlining politician bias.
Do I hear the same author call for the resignation of President McAleese. We all agree that Mary McAleese is an excellent president as were many of our elected Mayors and as such, were reappointed. As a young child, the same hand that guided me through the turnstiles of Croke Park on All Ireland Final day shook the hands of all the elected members when accepting the honour of Freeman of Kilkenny City. An honour I might add bestowed on few. Am I proud of my father’s achievements, the answer to the author of your column is a resounding yes and I will take every opportunity to tell the people of Kilkenny so, as all sons and daughters should. To rubbish ones pride for family in this way, is an insult to all parents. I started out life as a carpenter and it came as no surprise to any of my family or friends that my eldest son followed my career choice and is now a qualified carpenter. As a young lad he watched, listened and learned as I did. It didn’t entitle him to a trade, but certainly gave him a head start. When filling job applications, my son was often asked details as to where he served his time, valuable information required to make a proper assessment of his skills. The voters of Kilkenny now ask me the same questions. I served my political apprenticeship with my father, a hard working councillor who was elected Mayor because of ability and a proven track record. He carried out his duties with the honesty and dignity the office required as many did before and after. To suggest otherwise is an insult. In this case, the invisible line of integrity which govern most commentators has been truly erased by I might add, a man or woman without the courage to sign his or her name, I rest my case.
I would further suggest that the heading on your grassroots column gives away this author’s real motive “from the pens of the politicians themselves” suggests to me a candidate with little or no political pedigree or experience trying to rubbish the ones who have. It is said, that the man who refuses to acknowledge the achievements of the past, has no future. To set out to lecture us all on the importance of the Mayoralty and then to demean the office by suggesting its nothing more than “a small bit of padding in an address,” indicates to me that the author’s entire knowledge of the political system and the dedicated people who work within it, could be written on the back of a postage stamp with a large pencil and still have room for the entire Koran.
Yours,
Eugene McGuinness
Independent Local Election Candidate.
