Tynan resigns from council

Workers’ Party Councillor Ted Tynan has formally resigned from his seat on Cork City Council. He made the announcement during Monday’s full meeting.

He said he had taken the decision as a result of ongoing ill health. Tynan has been dealing with health complications since earlier this year, and has been absent from council for a number of months.

His party colleague Jerrica Struthers will be co-opted at the next full council meeting on 8 June.

Tynan was first elected to the then Cork Corporation - the predecessor to Cork City Council - in 1979 for one cycle. He was re-elected in 2009 and has maintained the seat since.

He has been prominent in a number of causes during his time in council, including the campaign against the imposition of water charges, and in the weekly demonstrations protesting the ongoing Israeli genocide in Palestine. Tynan said it wasn’t a decision he was happy to be taking, but he had decided to take the advice of his doctor. He also thanked his colleagues for their messages of support during his illness.

Council tributes

Tynan was met with a standing ovation by his colleagues following his announcement.

Green Party Cllr Oliver Moran said: “Ted is an institution”.

He said they first met ten years ago while backstage waiting to go onto ‘The Vincent Browne Show’.

“You gave me advice then … ‘you put yourself aside, it’s not about your own nerves. You put on the brass neck, and you go out and you do it because it’s what you believe in’. And that’s what you did every day,” he said.

Solidarity Cllr Brian McCarthy said Tynan’s resignation marked the “end of an era”.

“As much as I’m looking forward to working with your successor, I’m really going to miss having you here,” he said.

“Ted has been an incredible representative of your party, your constituents, and of socialist politics.”

Fianna Fáil Cllr Terry Shannon said while there was “nothing that we agreed on, and we had some mighty rows, I never doubted Ted’s commitment to his constituents and his beliefs”.

A number of other councillors commended Tynan’s commitment to his constituents, his beliefs, and the esteem in which he holds his family.

Lord Mayor Cllr Fergal Dennehy said he was happy the council got the opportunity to properly commend Tynan.

“We’ve had a number of special meetings here for members where we spoke about how great they were after they were gone, so personally I’m happy that we had an opportunity to pay tribute to you while you’re with us,” he said.

This article was produced with the support of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme funded by Coimisiún na Meán.