Donegal County Council is hosting a civic reception to mark 100 years of unbroken service on the authority by the Blaney family.
They are the first family in the country to reach the milestone.
Chief Executive John McLaughlin commented the crowd at County House in Lifford today was the largest he has seen in the chamber.
Archive pictures on display in Lifford today
Neal Blaney was elected to the council in 1925 and was replaced by his son Neil T in 1948.
Neil T’s brother Harry Blaney was elected in 1957 and was replaced by his son Niall in 1999.
In 2003, Niall was subsequently replaced by his brother Liam, who remains on the council to this day.
In the words of Cllr Donal Coyle, who originally proposed that the civic reception be accorded “19 local elections fought, 19 local elections won”.
Opening this afternoon’s civic reception, Cathaoirleach Cllr Paul Canning said this is not a statistic, it is a testament to an unparalleled history of service to the people of Fanad, the people of Donegal and the people of Ireland.
Cllr Liam Blaney says it’s a proud day for the family:
Niall Blaney is a member of Seanad Éireann, and a former TD, as was his late grandfather, father and uncle.
He told Highland Radio News that today’s reception is a proud day for the family, but more importantly, the milestone shows the strength of democracy in Donegal:
Both Cllr Liam Blaney and Senator Niall Blaney were presented with a commemorative scroll and a framed collection of archive photographs which were on display around county house this afternoon.
Tributes were also paid to their mother Margaret, who was present this afternoon.
Cllr Liam Blaney said she was a wife, a mother, a secretary, a chef, a political advisor, a farmer, and all points in between.
