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The death has taken place after a brief illness of Mr. Joe Mulrooney of Partry, a former Mayo Man of the Year and a Fianna Fail member of Mayo County Council for many years. Mr. Mulrooney (77) spearheaded economic and cultural developments in his native Tourmakeady and was mainly responsible for the savour and the subsequent success of the local Colaiste Mhuire College which is located on the shores of Lough Mask, of which he was manager. A national school teacher by profession, Mr. Mulrooney who was principal of Treenlaur national school up to his retirement in the mid 1980's, was a dynamic force in the creation and maintaining of jobs in the Tourmakeady Gaeltacht, an area he loved so dear. He was involved in the purchase of the local factory Cniotala Gaeltachta As a county councillor in the 1960's and '70 he was highly respected as a hard worker and a person who always put the needs of others above party politics. As a courageous campaigner for the underprivileged, Mr. Mulrooney was a former president of the Western Care, the organisation which caters for the needs of the mentally handicapped in the region, and was a tireless worker for the organisation. Mr. Mulrooney was always highly interested in the development of educational facilities and as a member of the Mayo Vocational Education Committee, of which he held the position of chairman for a term, he was the propose at a VEC meeting that a Regional Technical College should be established in Mayo. He was proud to see this dream come true. As a dedicated and life long follower of the GAA, Mr. Mulrooney was a former chairman of the Mayo GAA Minor Board as well as being a selector with them. He was devoted to the Ballintubber GAA Club and always enjoyed their successes. His love of the GAA was matched only by his passion for the Irish language of which he was an avid and fluent speaker. As a community worker he dedicated all of his spare time to the betterment of the Partry and Tourmakeady areas where he oversaw the establishment of jobs for young people, thereby stemming emigration from this pocket of Mayo. In 1970 he was selected as the Mayo Man of the Year, being the seventh person to be honoured with the prestigious award. Joe dedicated his life to helping others, either through political or charitable means. He loved a challenge but always looked on one with unique style and gusto. But he was foremost a loving husband and father. Mr. Martin Joe O'Toole, the only member of the present Mayo County Council to serve with Mr. Mulrooney said Joe would be remembered for his dedication to the job. "He was most of all an educationalist, a hard worker and a man who went out of his way to help others. "He was a great man for the GAA, he loved the game and work long hours to promote it at all levels. "He did trojan work for the Western Care organisation and was to the forefront in building it up in its formative years." Mr. O'Toole said Joe Mulrooney came into his own at Estimates time in the County Council. "As a mathematician he was second to none and always delved into the figures at Estimates time to see what savings could be made for the ratepayers." Mr. Mulrooney's remains were taken from Cummin's Funeral Home, Ballinrobe on Monday evening to Partry Church and burial took place in Tourmakeady Cemetery after Requiem Mass yesterday (Tuesday). Mr. Mulrooney is survived by his wife Kathleen, sons Gearoid, Eugene and John, his daughters Regina and Cathy by his nephew Michael McCatran and by his daughters-in-law Margaret, Marie and Eithne, six grandchildren, sister and brothers, relatives and friends to whom deepest sympathy is extended on their great loss. |
