Council Affairs: We’re all going on our summer holidays

In fairness, 2026 has been a tough slog for the Merchant’s Quay massive, and they are in need of a breather. Well deserved, too!

OUR City Fathers are now off on their well-warranted summer jollies, or was I lost in some midsummers night’s fancy? You can keep your urban beaches, local councillors are away on a proper Cliff Richard-style busman’s holiday for the month of August. There will be no Costa del C’mere I Want You for this lot. Not at all, notions they have.

Just as Mayor Moran was opening the city seafront paddling pools, councillors from across the political divide were boarding their magical mystery omnibus to get out of Dodge before the levee broke.

His excellency had not yet managed to re-enact the Normandy landings in rural County Limerick, so they were fairly confident they’d be jellyfish free for their rustic cross-party adventures.

First stop on their whistle-stop tour was Patrickswell – the nursery of Limerick hurling greats since the dawn of time – where they drank from the Liam McCarthy Cup. Before long, young Dan McSweeney was mad for a go off the swings so it was back on the bus and onto Adare for some fun on the climbing frame for our energetic aldermen.

After a couple of hours on the balancing beams, zip-wire, and net swings, these hometown holidaymakers were ready for a bit of grub. Cllr Adam Teskey, who was on the missing list for the previous hour, finally turned up, covered in chalk, after renaming all the Adare streets after his knight in shining armour – Fianna Fáil legend Kevin Sheahan.

Missing his good pal terribly and pining for Dr Pat Daly’s homemade scones, he put the call into his Askeaton hero to stick the kettle on, and off they went once more, to make their dreams come true.

Sheahan dazzled the hungry councillors with stories of old — times when they city and county were not joined at the hip and mayors wore red robes and not surf ponchos. They had a great old time and, before the daylight was gone, it was decided they would make one last stop before home.

With Cllr Kieran O’Hanlon leading the rowdy policymakers with a burst of ‘ Stop The Bus, I Need A Wee-Wee ’, they were rolling again. Beaming like a consultant on the executive mayor’s buck, Councilmen and women were all in fine fettle as they made their way onto Loughill for a spot of fishing at the new multi-million pound bike shed, complete with gold-plated toilet and Ballygowan sparkling water on tap.

They’re a tetchy lot though, and before they had the mackerel gutted, they were fairly cranky and tired and longed to get back to City Hall before it was turned into an aqua park. There really is nothing like home, even if it is taking on water.