By Chris Ashmore
A significant milestone in Irish political life will be marked on June 24 this year as it will represent 100 years of continuous political representation on Donegal County Council by members of the Blaney family.
To mark the anniversary, the Council will host a civic reception for members of the Blaney family at the local authority headquarters in Lifford.
This is the highest honour that the Council can bestow on an individual or group of people.
The decision to host such a reception follows a motion tabled by Cllr. Donal Coyle at the monthly meeting of the council on Monday which was unanimously passed.
Outlining the huge role played by members of the Blaney family in public life down through the years, Cllr. Coyle noted that Neal Blaney was first elected to the council as Sinn Féin candidate in 1925 and served until 1948.
During this time he was the chairman from 1945 to 1948 while in 1927, he was elected as a Fianna Fáil candidate to Dáil Éireann, and was a TD until 1938.
He was then a senator from 1938 to 1943 when he was returned to the Dáil again and remained a TD until his death in 1948.
His son, Neil T. Blaney was elected to Donegal Co Council after his father’s death in 1948 and remained on it until 1957. During this time, he was chairman from 1955 to 1957.
He was also elected to the Dáil in 1948 and was re-elected at every subsequent election and was a TD until his death in 1995.
During his political career he served as Minister for Posts and Telegraphs, Minister for Local Government and Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries.
He also had two terms as an MEP, from 1979 to 1984 and from 1989 to 1992.
When he first became a Minister in 1957, he gave up his seat on Donegal Co. Council, with his brother Harry taking over and retaining it up to the end of 1999. Twice Harry Blaney was chair of the council. He was elected to the Dáil in 1997 and was a TD until 2002.
In 1999, Niall Blaney was on the council from 1999 to 2003, and was elected as a TD serving from 2002 until 2011. Currently a senator, he was elected in 2020 and re-elected in 2024.
Liam Blaney took up a seat on the council in 2003 and has remained since, during which time he was chairman in 2022/2023.
Summing up, Cllr. Coyle asked members of the council to support his motion for a civic reception to be held “in recognition of the remarkable service across three generations”.
He said that the civic reception would acknowledge the century long commitment to public life, and continuous representation ranging from Donegal Co. Council to the Dáil, Seanad and the European Parliament.
“This multi-generational commitment is unparalleled in Donegal history,” he stated.
Cllr. Martin Scanlon seconded the motion.
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