Tributes after sudden death of FF senator
The 60-year-old, who was a close friend of Taoiseach Brian Cowen, is believed to have suffered a massive heart attack while eating breakfast in a Dublin city hotel.
Mr Phelan was educated in Roscrea and was married to Mary Clancy. They have four daughters and one son – Fiona, Martina, Brenda, Aisling and Patrick.
Taoiseach Brian Cowen told the Dáil he will be sorely missed.
“Kieran is a well-known, much admired and greatly respected member of Seanad Éireann. He is a constituency colleague of mine and a lifelong friend. I will miss him deeply.
“Kieran Phelan was an unassuming gentleman. He was kind, he was easy-going, he was dependable and he was loyal to his friends. He had a real ability to relate to people and had a keen political sense,” he said.
The flag above Leinster House was lowered to half mast once news of Mr Phelan’s death reached the Oireachtas. The Seanad was suspended as senators paid respects to their colleague who joined the upper house through the industrial panel in 2002.
In the Dáil Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny offered his condolences to Mr Phelan’s widow and children, and to the Taoiseach himself who had lost a friend.
His constituency colleagues, Seán Fleming, Olwyn Enright and Charles Flanagan, also paid tribute to Mr Phelan, who was universally recognised as a respectful gentleman.
Mr Phelan was dining with fellow Fianna Fáil Senator Diarmuid Wilson when he suffered his heart attack. He had been feeling unwell on Tuesday night.
Dr Jim McDaid, a Fianna Fáil TD, was in the hotel at the time and tried to revive him.
