Sandwiches and babies on minds of country cousins!

Bradley Bytes – a sort of political column with Dara Bradley

The Cathaoirleach of Galway County Council, Peter Keaveney (FG) was congratulated for a ‘new arrival’ to his family, during the always-entertaining pre-Council meeting chats before the start of the meeting-proper.

“It was three,” he replied. The city slickers attending the Microsoft Teams meeting assumed his wife, Mairead, had given birth to triplets.

But it turned out that in fact the Glenamaddy agricultural contractor had three new baby lambs arrive on his farm, not baby humans.

“We’re in the wrong game,” snorted one of his colleagues, envious of his newly delivered wealth.

Before the County Development Plan meeting commenced, Cllr Mary Hoade (FF) wondered if there would be any break for lunch during the meeting proper, scheduled to take place from 11am-6pm.

Cllr Keaveney reckoned a half-hour, rather than 60 minutes would be sufficient for members to get a cup of tea.

“You’re okay, you’ve a wife at home to make sandwiches for you,” quipped Mary in reply.

About two hours in, Cllr Ivan Canning (FF), who was no longer on mute, could be heard asking someone in his home, “Will you get a bowl and throw a few cornflakes into it?”. It was not clear whether it was a mid-meeting snack for himself or for a canine pet.

Canning was tackled later by Cllr Eileen Mannion (FG), who was like a dog with a bone. “Do you know what you’re voting for?” she pressed Canning several times. He did, apparently. “Well you seemed very confused,” she sniped.

Just before the lunch break, a toddler could be heard coming from the device of one unidentified councillor, who also had not muted, while Cllr Michael Connolly was speaking about rezoning in Woodlawn.

Cathaoirleach Keaveney said: “I think we’re hearing a baby speaking; could you mute?” Connolly replied: “Well, there’s no baby in this house!”

By then, at 2.20pm and ravenous with hunger, they adjourned for 55 minutes, not the initial 30 that the Chair had hoped would suffice.

When they came back, Cllr Geraldine Donoghue (Ind), chit-chatting before the meeting restarted, said it was “a sin” to be stuck inside on a sunny day.

Cllr Jimmy McClearn (FG) agreed. “It is psychological torture,” he sighed. Nobody disagreed.

(PHOTO: Cllr Geraldine Donohue: A ‘sin’ to be stuck inside for Council meeting on such a beautiful day).

This is a shortened preview version of Bradley Bytes. See this week’s Galway City Tribune for more. You can buy a digital edition HERE.