Civic reception honours Michael Ring’s legacy of service to Mayo
Westport Town Hall paid homage to one of the west Mayo town’s most enduring public servants, former Minister Michael Ring, at a civic reception held in his honour this evening.
Speaking at the event, Fine Gael Councillor Peter Flynn, cathaoirleach of West Mayo Municipal District, captured the mood of the occasion as he pointed out that the very venue hosting the celebration, Westport Town Hall, stood as a landmark to Michael Ring’s impact on the town.
“Quite simply, if it weren’t for Michael Ring, this building would not be here,” Flynn said.
“He believed in the potential of this town and made sure the support came to make that potential real.”
Councillor Flynn detailed a series of projects that bore the unmistakable imprint of Ring’s work, from the Lough Mask water supply system that now also serves Murrisk and Lecanvey, to the vital storage plant that enabled the town’s continued expansion.
He also cited major infrastructural developments including the new N5 and the improved rail service to the west, when, as a town councillor, he along with others, championed keeping the connection with Irish Rail.
“Michael was at the table for all of it,” Councillor Flynn said. “Firstly, as a member of the urban council, as a county councillor and a TD, over four decades, he served the people of Westport and Mayo so well.”
Councillor Flynn pointed to Mr. Ring’s creation of the Department of Rural and Community Development, a move that unlocked unprecedented access to funding for communities across Ireland.
“That department didn’t exist before he made it happen. Now there’s a raft of funding schemes that never would have come about otherwise. Any community with the drive to apply can now succeed.”
Councillor Flynn also paid tribute to the thousands of personal cases Ring’s constituency office handled over the years, from medical cards to roads and housing supports.
He acknowledged the unsung heroes behind the scenes, Anne, Maggie, and the office team, who worked tirelessly for decades.
Reflecting on Ring as a person, Peter Flynn remarked on his rare ability to connect with people.
“He remembers everyone’s name, young or old. He has that magic bond with people. That’s a skill you can’t teach and one that has served Mayo, and Westport in particular, extraordinarily well.
“Some might think of Michael Ring as a ‘local’ politician,” Councillor Flynn said.
“But that simply isn’t true. Yes, he delivered for Mayo, but travel anywhere across the country and you’ll find evidence of his work through the Department of Rural and Community Development. That’s the legacy he leaves.”