A proposal by Fine Gael Councillor Michelle Mulherin for Mayo County Council to award a civic reception to Liam and Noel Gallagher from the band Oasis, kicked off a furious debate at the monthly meeting of Mayo County Council this week.
The motion by Cllr Mulherin asked “That this council awards a civic reception to Liam and Noel Gallagher of the rock band Oasis for their world renowned music achievements.” Cllr Mulherin’s proposal while gaining the support of the vast majority of the members present in the council chamber was opposed by her Ballina electoral area colleague Fianna Fáil’s Johnny O’Malley. Cllr O’Malley told the meeting that he felt that musicians did not fit the criteria for receiving this honour. “A civic reception is something that should be valued very highly, the easier we give them out the more we devalue them for the those who are truly deserving of them.”
Labour party Cllr Johnny Mee gave the meeting a plotted history of rock ‘n’ roll and divulged to the meeting that he was a fan of punk music and he owned the Sex Pistols’ seminal 1977 album Never Mind the Bollocks Here’s the Sex Pistols. Cllr Mee went on to say that “Whether you like rock music or you’re a country and western buff, music soothes the savage beast and I would support this motion.” Sinn Féin Cllr Gerry Murray, who himself comes from Charlestown, the ancestral home of the Gallagher brothers, told the meeting that “I have met the brothers on a number of occasions and can only speak highly of them as can all of those who have met them in Charlestown.” It was suggested by county manager Des Mahon that the reception take place in Charlestown if the offer is accepted by the Gallaghers.
Cllr O’Malley had a notice of motion on the agenda calling on the Mayo County Council to adopt criteria for the granting of civic receptions, which got the backing of the councillors present at the meeting. Fine Gael Cllr Paddy McGuinness suggested that in support of Cllr O’Malley’s motion that a sub committee of the council like the corporate policy group look into the idea of drawing up such a protocol for the future. The members then agreed that the county manager would draw up a report on protocol for such receptions to be presented to them in the future.
