Council pays tribute to retiring ‘Irish Examiner’ reporter Donal Hickey

Spontaneous and warm tributes by councillors and management were yesterday paid to Irish Examiner journalist Donal Hickey at his last county council meeting after almost half a century.

Mr Hickey, a staff journalist with the Irish Examiner, began life as a reporter with The Kerrymanand The Corkmanand is retiring shortly, the meeting was told.

Kerry mayor and Fine Gael councillor Pat McCarthy suspended proceedings to tell the meeting that one person in the press who had been covering council meetings “a long, long time” was doing so for the last time.

Chief executive Moira Murrell said Donal had always been fair and even-handed. “On behalf of the council and staff, I wish you well,” Ms Murrell said.

Other councillors then joined in. Robert Beasley (SF) said that “everyone is disappointed to see Donal go”. John Brassil (FF) said his reporting had been “fair and exact”.

Terry O’Brien (Lab) said he wished Donal and his family the very best.

Danny Healy-Rae (Ind) said Donal had a deep knowledge of the people of the area and had always been fair to the Healy-Raes. He had covered both sides of the story even though sometimes there were three sides to the story, Mr Healy-Rae joked.

He said he remembered his late father, former TD Jackie, reading out Donal’s articles. A native of Gneeveguilla, Donal had a deep knowledge of the people and of Kerry, Mr Healy-Rae said.

“If any man deserved a clap, Donal did,” Mr Healy-Rae said of the round of applause after the mayor’s announcement.

Brendan Cronin (Ind) said he would like to pay tribute to the compassion Donal had shown while covering difficult stories such as funerals.

Dan McCarthy (FF), manager of the local mart, joked that a job as a drover was coming up next month in the mart.

Mr Hickey said the tributes were unexpected. “It has been a wonderful experience. I attended my first meeting in 1971 and I’m probably the longest person here now,” he said.

Most of the people around that time had long since left the council chamber, he added. “To be fair and honest was always my aim,” Mr Hickey said, to a round of applause.