Tributes: 'one of our greatest Claremen'

The mayor of Clare, Cllr Patricia McCarthy, told Clare County Council's April meeting yesterday that Dr Hillery "gave so much of himself. He was very quiet, but very steely and very direct."

Leader of the Fianna Fáil group at the council, Cllr PJ Kelly said: "Dr Hillery was one of our greatest Claremen."

Describing Dr Hillery as "a master of distilled wisdom", Cllr Kelly said that his intervention at the 1971 Fianna Fáil Ardfheis came at a cross-roads in the country's history.

Cllr Kelly said that Dr Hillery's intervention ensured that a peaceful path was taken as the alternative was possibly a second civil war.

Cllr Christy Curtin (Ind) said that Dr Hillery "was a real Dalcassian and a quintessential Clareman... Paddy Hillery loved his place, his roots and they deep. We in Miltown Malbay are very proud of our icon and our tower.

"He was one of our own."

After the tributes were paid, the council meeting was adjourned as a mark of respect to Dr Hillery.