Hundreds of people lined College Road on Sunday in honour of one of Kilkenny’s best loved citizens.
Former Mayor of Kilkenny city, and one of the longest-serving and best known politicians Cllr Joe Cody was laid to rest on Sunday following his death at his family home on Friday last surrounded by his loving family.
Mayor of Kilkenny Pat Crotty, and Cathaoirleach of Kilkenny County Council Tomás Breathnach and fellow councillors from the Borough Council and Kilkenny County Council accompanied the funeral cortege in a guard of honour as it made its way from his home to a packed St Patrick’s Church and after to St Kieran’s Cemetery for burial.
Fr Dan Carroll said that while the day was marked with sadness, it was also a day filled with a tremendous amount of hope. He described Joe as a man of hope who believed that with the Lord’s help and with the efforts of the people, Kilkenny had the opportunity to flourish.
“As a member of the local authorities and as Mayor of Kilkenny he was able to turn some of his dreams into reality.” He added, “his goal in politics was to help people; to reach out to others and to make this world a better place.”
Joe’s brother Ger spoke fondly of his brother who had a love of books and languages with a special love of Latin and Irish. He said that Joe had many successes in life but nothing filled his life as much as his children Ailis, Kathleen, Roisin and Patrick. Ger said that his brother’s wife Noelle gave him that extra strength to focus on his goals and thanked her for the love she had for Joe.
Joe Cody was one of the youngest people ever to be elected to Kilkenny Borough Council when he was elected in 1974 at the age of 21. He lost his seat in 1979, and after taking a break from politics to raise his family, was re-elected again in 1994.
He was Mayor of Kilkenny city in 2001 and was selected to run as a candidate for the Labour Party in the 2002 General Election, but withdrew on health grounds.
He was highly regarded by his fellow party colleagues and members at both borough and county council level. He worked tirelessly on issues close to his heart and was always willing to try and assist anyone that asked for his help.
He was devoted to his wife Noelle and their daughters Kathleen, Eilis and Roisin, and son Patrick who cared for him throughout his illness.
He resigned from his seat on Kilkenny Borough Council in March of this year having previously resigned from his seat on Kilkenny County Council in August 2006. Fellow party colleague Marie Fitzpatrick who was co-opted onto Kilkenny County Council following Joe’s resignation, said that she has lost a very good friend and colleague.
“He was a wonderful mentor and supporter and was highly regarded as a person, the like of which we will never see again,” she said. “You never once heard of any situation when he wasn’t able to help someone. And even from his sickbed, he was still interested in Kilkenny and how it was going to develop.”
Commenting on the huge crowd of people that turned out on Sunday to sympathise with the Cody family, Cllr Fitzpatrick said, “ it was a measure of the man and his interest in Kilkenny city.”
“All cllrs brought something to the table but Joe brought more, he brought extra belief in everything. He wasn’t there to make up the numbers and regarded being elected to his local council as one of his greatest achievements,” said Mayor of Kilkenny city Pat Crotty.
Expressing his sympathies to his wife Noelle and their four children, leader of the Labour Party Eamon Gilmore said that Joe Cody served his party and his constituents with distinction, both on the Borough Council and on Kilkenny County Council.
“A former Mayor of Kilkenny City, Joe used the opportunity of that distinguished office to campaign on disability issues, and to highlight the need for more and better facilities for the young people of the city and county.”
Fine Gael Cllr Paul Cuddihy who served alongside Joe on the council since 1994 said that he always stood up for the underdog. “He was well-liked by all of his fellow members and was wonderfully witty, humourous and uncompromisingly honest. And although we were in different parties I was very happy to work with him on many projects.”
He also recalled the last project they worked on together. “Both Joe and I worked to ensure that central heating was installed in every Borough house in the city and we were delighted when that work was completed last year,” said Cllr Cuddihy.
“As a party man, Joe was proud to be called a socialist and of the one hundred year tradition of Connolly and Larkin. The completion of the installation of central heating in every Borough Council house last year was a personal and political victory for Joe who championed such a basic service for the most vulnerable in our city,” added Labour Cllr Sean O’hÁrgain.
“It was one of hundreds of victories small and large which made Joe such a phenomenal vote-getter. If we as his colleagues, can do half as well as Joe in our role as 'the people's tribunes', we will have reason to be proud and to feel we have done justice to Joe's wonderful legacy.”
Cathaoirleach of Kilkenny County Council Tomás Breathnach said Joe would be remembered for his decency and sincerity as well as for his sharp wit and great sense of humour.
“Politics to him was about progressing issues to improve the life of ordinary people and he achieved so much in his time on the Borough Council and on the County Council. He was a colleague to everyone no matter what their political persuasion. He will be especially missed by Labour Party members for his friendship, knowledge, insight and judgement,” he added.
“Joe brought a deep human understanding to all aspects of public life and could be relied upon to respond in a calm and a measured way to any crisis. And his achievements and contributions will leave a lasting mark on Kilkenny city and county,” stated Labour Cllr Michael O’Brien.
” The outpouring of affection for Joe at his requiem mass last Sunday is testament to his legacy. The family bore their cross with dignity and great bravery and my hope is that they will draw some comfort in the coming months and years from the many warm tributes that have been so deservedly paid to him,” said Green Party Cllr Malcolm Noonan.
Others who attended the funeral service included leader of the Labour Party Eamon Gilmore, former Ceann Comhairle and former TD Seamus Pattison, Minister for Trade John McGuinness, MEP Liam Aylward and Deputies Phil Hogan and Bobby Aylward.Fr Dan Carroll was the chief celebrant at the Mass with Bishop Seamus Freeman and Bishop Laurence Forristal and a number of other priests.
