DUBLIN city councillors and senior officials were present in the Mansion House last night to pay tribute to the city manager, Mr Frank Feely, who has retired after 17 years in office, on reaching his 65th birthday. He was appointed when he was 48, the youngest ever to hold the prestigious position - the most powerful local government post in the State.
The Lord Mayor, Sean Dublin Bay Rockall Loftus, on behalf of the council, presented Mr Feely with a bronze sculpture of Queen Maeve of Connacht by Selma McCormack. He said: "Frank Feely has a justifiable sense of pride in his achievement of moulding the city into a capital of which we can all be proud."
Mr Feely joined the corporation as a clerk in 1949, straight from Synge Street CBS, and rose through the ranks, serving as minor staff officer, organisational methods officer, senior administrative officer, principal officer and assistant city manager.
He had studied accountancy at night and became the corporation's finance officer before becoming city manager and town clerk.