Gentleman Gus, Wexford's worker

The one thing about really good local politicians is that they rise above everything. That’s why they are so successful year after year.  Few in local politics in Wexford had a record to rival the late Gus Byrne.

Gus was a man who was big on vision.  Gus really cared about Wexford.  At one of his last Borough Council meetings in 2009 the local development plan was being signed off on.  Gus was strongly supportive.  To him the aspiration that Wexford could become a small city would be the crowning glory on all that he stood for since he first entered the local council in 1974.  He was never prouder than when elected Mayor of Wexford on 2 different occasions.

Gus was never negative in a council chamber.  He found it hard to have a go at any other serving councillor.  He was the master at positivity always smiling and laughing.   Gus ran in his last local election in 2004.  It was a challenging time for Fianna Fail so Gus decided to advertise wide and get the word around to his supporters.  Wexford Bus had just established its town service at the time and Gus Byrne spotted an opening.  Within days of the election campaign starting the back of the local bus was emblazoned with Gus’s picture alongside the logo “Hop on the bus, Vote for Gus”.   Gus had no problem holding his borough council seat.

Gus was a Fianna Fail man to his fingertips. Turning your back on your own wasn’t  for Gus because for Gus, his own was the town he served.  He served leaders from Jack Lynch to Brian Cowen with distinction. On one occasion in the 1980’s he came within a whisker of taking a Dail seat for Fianna Fail. Gus couldn’t just show a clean pair of heals to the political opposition.  As a top flight amateur cyclist there was many a competitor whose only sight of Gus was as they looked up to see him hunched over the handle bars and accelerating out of sight.

Gus Byrne was committed to life saving not just in his job as an ambulance man but wherever there was danger.  Wexford’s beaches each year attract tourists from far and near. Each year the local life saving club holds an international competition at Ferrybank.  The main trophy awarded to the winners was named after and presented by Gus Byrne.

So soon after Fergie Kehoe of FF died, it is sad to be penning these few words.  Gus was personally very good to me in the council chamber on one particular occasion when it would have been easier for him to go with the flow. Gus had a wider vision about local politics that may be out of place nowadays, Yet it was one that worked in the chamber.  It was this; Once you get your feet under the table after an election, you work for Wexford with everyone else regardless.

Gus Byrne has more than earned his place in municipal history. Gus is photographed above second on the left as a competitor in the Ras Tailteann in 1959.  May he rest in peace. My sympathies to his wife Nancy and his family.