Councillor McGrath to bow out
Independent Tipperary TD, Deputy Michael Lowry has confirmed that Lowry Team member, Councillor John ‘Rocky’ McGrath will not be contesting the Local Elections in June due to health reasons.
The Newport area councillor, who was first elected in 2009, has been credited with delivering on many local issues during his time as a public representative, but in particular in the areas of planning, local roads and enhancement of villages.
Councillor McGrath said: “I am very proud of my achievements as a public representative and I have to express my grateful appreciation to Deputy Michael Lowry for affording me the opportunity to be a member of his team. It has been a real source of pride and enlightenment to me to work alongside Michael and his team. I thank the office staff in Abbey Road for their tremendous support at all times.
“That the time has come for me to step away and as many will know, I have had a number of health issues which make it impossible for me to canvass and get through the volume of engagement required for an election campaign. While I have decided to step off the pitch I will do my very best to support my successor on the Lowry Team.”
Deputy Lowry paid tribute to his team member describing him as “an invaluable member of the team and a great friend”.
He continued: “Rocky has been an excellent local representative who always had the best interests of his constituents and the community to the forefront. He would passionately and resolutely defend his locality and was always seeking to progress and enhance communities. He has been a great personal friend to me and to the other members of the team and though he is not standing in the local elections in June, we look forward to continuing having him on-board with us in many other ways.
“I congratulate Rocky on his great contribution to his community and thank Mary, Shane, Donnacha, Cormac, Darragh and the extended McGrath family also for their unstinting support and loyalty to Rocky, to me personally and to the team.”
Councillor McGrath has also served on Tipperary VEC; Tipperary Joint Policing Committee; County Tipperary Library Board; North Tipp GAA Chairman, Munster GAA Councils Appeals Committee; and many other local committees including the Mulcair and Kilmastulla River groups.
ROCKY SAYS THANKS
Having announced that he will not be contesting the upcoming Local Elections for health reasons, Cllr Rocky McGrath, the current Cathaoirleach of Nenagh Municipal District, thanked a number of people for their support over the years.
In particular, he thanked Michael Lowry TD and his fellow Lowry Team councillors, Cllr Michael O’Meara, Cllr Michéal Lowry, Cllr Eddie Moran and Cllr Shane Lee for their friendship and support.
He thanked all those who have voted for him and put their faith in him in the Newport Electoral Area. As a firm believer that local politics is about local people, Rocky has strived to do his best for his local area and for anyone who needed his assistance in any way since he was first elected in 2009.
He also expressed his gratitude all the executives and staff at every level at Tipperary County Council for their help and courtesy at all times and he extended his best wishes to each of the councillors preparing to contest the Local Elections in June.
Rocky seldom sought the limelight, but he is very grateful to the local media, both broadcast and print, for the fair and balanced coverage they have given him.
Finally, but most importantly, Rocky thanks his wife Mary and their four boys who have supported him every step of the way since he was first elected to the council back in 2009.