‘Being Taoiseach won’t change Micheál’
Not many people can say that the best man at their wedding is now a Taoiseach, but Terry Shannon can!
“It was a little surreal. We were with him in Dublin for all his big political milestones, so it was strange to be in Cork watching him on TV for the biggest achievement in his political life to date.”
That’s how Cllr Shannon described seeing his Fianna Fáil partymate and close friend Micheál Martin become Taoiseach in the past week.
The Turner's Cross native is the first Cork Taoiseach since fellow Fianna Fáil leader Jack Lynch way back in 1979. On Saturday he was elected Taoiseach at a special sitting of the Dáil in the Convention Centre in Dublin.
City councillor Terry Shannon has been campaigning and helping the new Taoiseach with his elections since 1985 and the pair have become great friends over the past few decades.
Cllr Shannon told the Cork Independent: “He was the best man at my wedding and he is godfather to one of my children, too. Being Taoiseach won’t change Micheál and he won’t disappear. He will still be found around the farmers’ market in Douglas and going for walks around Ballinlough. He is committed to his family and is such a loyal friend.”
Speaking about what will make him a great leader of the country, Cllr Shannon said: “His life experience will make him a great Taoiseach and he has great empathy for other people. He will see the Taoiseach’s office as a mechanism to change people’s lives for the better and not the trappings. He is genuine and his work ethic is incredible.
“You can’t even go for a walk with him without him being ten steps ahead of you,” he joked.
On a more serious note, he said that An Taoiseach is aware of Cork’s needs and what it requires for the future in terms of housing, transport and the events centre planned for the city.
“Everything is ready to go with the events centre, it’s just a matter of getting on with it now,” added Cllr Shannon.
“However, Micheál will be a Taoiseach for all of the country and will be a great leader over the next few years,” he concluded.