Death of former Mayo TD Sean Calleary

THE death has occurred of former Fianna Fáil TD for Mayo Seán Calleary (1931-2018).

A native of Killala and educated at Killala National School, Garbally College and University College Galway, Mr. Calleary was a civil engineer by profession, and was a member of Dáil Éireann from 1973 to 1992, representing the Mayo East constituency.

He served as Minister of State at the Department of Public Service from 1979 to 1981, at the Department of Trade, Commerce and Tourism in 1982 and at the Department of Foreign Affairs from 1987 to 1992.

He was a member of Mayo County Council from 1967 to 1987 and served as chairperson of Ballina Urban District Council on two occasions, 1983 and 1985, having served on the UDC from 1981 to 1987.

Mr. Calleary was also well known in sporting circles as a prolific athlete, excelling in hurling, Gaelic football, soccer and rugby, representing University College Galway in all four codes at Varsity level.

He represented his native Killala at Gaelic football and won a Sligo senior championship medal with Easkey in 1966. He was inducted into the Easkey GAA Hall of Fame in 2017, while he played inter-county football for Mayo at junior level and served as a senior selector.

He played rugby for Galwegians and Connacht under an assumed name because of the GAA ban at the time, and served as President of the Connacht Branch in 2006/07.

His achievements on the sports fields were acknowledged by The Western People who inducted him into their Hall of Fame.

Seán's father Phelim was a TD for Mayo North from 1952 to 1969, while his son Dara is the current Deputy Leader of Fianna Fáil and a TD for Mayo since 2007.

He is survived by his wife Doris (nee Brogan), daughter Siofra, sons John, Conall and Dara, grandchildren, son-in-law, daughters-in-law, and wider family, to whom deepest smpathy is tendered.