Andy Connolly honoured
The memory of one of County Meath’s leading trade unionists has been honoured with the naming of a roundabout in honour of Andy Connolly.
Over eighty people including SIPTU activists, members of the Navan Town Council and members of the Connolly family, attended an official unveiling ceremony at the Moatlands roundabout last night.
There was cross party support for the naming of the roundabout after the former Meath SIPTU branch official who died at the age of 57 in 2004. The motion at Navan Town Council to name the roundabout in the his honour was proposed by Labour councillor, Anton McCabe and seconded by Sinn Féin’s, Joe Reilly.
At a joint meeting of the Navan Town Council and SIPTU Meath District Committee in the union’s Dan Shaw Centre in Navan which followed the opening ceremony, politicians and trade union activists recalled Andy Connolly’s service to the people of Meath.
Joe Reilly recalled his many years working alongside him in community projects in the Navan area. Always an enthusiastic community worker, Andy Connolly was involved in the establishment of the Navan Travellers Committee Workshop, Meath Youth Federation, Navan Community Development Project and the Navan Citizens Information Centre.
He had also played an active role in local politics as a member of Sinn Féin.
SIPTU Construction and Utilities Division Organiser, Christy McQuillan, recalled working alongside him as an ITGWU Branch official in the late 1970's and 1980's.
Mr McQuillan said he owed his trade union career to Andy Connolly’s guidance and described him as one of the outstanding industrial relation officials of his era playing a leading role in representing workers in major workplaces in Meath including Tara Mines and Navan Carpets. He also recalled his role in the building of the Dan Shaw Centre.
The Mayor of Navan, Caoimhe Ní Shluáin, and Andy Connolly’s son, Sean, also paid tribute to his life and work in the local community. Also in attendance were his children Alex, Andrew, Joseph, Mary, sister Rosaleen and brother Gerard,
SIPTU Meath District committee chairman John Regan, thanked Navan Town Council for their honoring of Connolly and the respect it had shown to his role representing workers.