Ray McAdam on his term as Lord Mayor of Dublin: ‘The honour of my life’
Former Lord Mayor Ray McAdam looks back on his term as “the honour of my life”.
On Monday, Dublin City Council welcomed a new Lord Mayor as Fianna Fáil Councillor Daryl Barron took up the mantle of Dublin’s First Citizen. With that, Fine Gael Cllr McAdam’s busy year of public engagements representing the capital came to an end as he handed over the Great Chain of Office and reflected on a term characterised by his theme of ‘Celebrating Dublin’.
The former Lord Mayor spoke to Dublin Live about how much the past 12 months have meant to him and expressed gratitude to the people of Dublin, his council colleagues, and all those he has been “honoured to serve”. But. most of all, he thanked his wife Niamh for her unwavering support which allowed him to be as active in the role as he was.
He said he is looking forward to spending quality time with his wife and young son, Iarlaith, whom he described in his outgoing address as the 'mini mayor' - a role for which any future holders will have “big shoes to fill”. Referencing highlights from across his term, McAdam spoke about meeting former US President Barack Obama and awarding him the Freedom of the City last September.
“I will never forget seeing him [Obama] on his hunkers in the Shelbourne Hotel speaking to Iarlaith about the Spider-Man comic book he made especially for him. In that moment, the global became personal, the grand became human, and Dublin showed again how our civic story can lead the world with warmth, confidence and heart.”
From honouring the everyday achievements of its people at the Lord Mayor’s Awards to bestowing Oscar-winning actress Brenda Fricker with the Freedom of the City, McAdam’s term lived up to its theme of Celebrating Dublin in many ways. While he was proud of what he achieved, he also believes “Dublin’s best days are ahead of us” as long as “we choose ambition over drift, partnership over division, delivery over delay, hope over resignation”.
Major projects overseen by the Lord Mayor included rezoning the city for up to 73,000 additional new homes , an action plan to make Dublin the world’s first autism friendly capital, and an ambitious urban redevelopment plan to tackle vacancy and dereliction. Although not everything McAdam promised played out exactly as he’d laid out, he expressed confidence that stated goals like a vacancy map of the city and erecting a statue honouring a woman on O’Connell Street are moving in the right direction.
Admiration for McAdam’s dedication to the role of Lord Mayor could be felt in the council chamber as he handed over the reins. Despite ideological or political differences, representatives from each party spoke highly of him for chairing meetings fairly and exemplifying diplomacy.
Social Democrats Cllr Cat O’Driscoll highlighted his commitment to international engagement and cross-border communication. She stressed the importance of solidarity during a time facing increased division, climate change, and genocide - stating he always gave proper time for the background work that isn’t always as visible.
Sinn Féin Cllr Ciarán Ó Meachair said they may “have our differences on a lot of different issues” but admitted they worked well together when they found common ground and that he gave the time to opposing groups. Similarly, Labour Cllr Darragh Moriarty said that McAdam was willing to “dispense with party politics” and put the needs of Dubliners first.
Green Party Cllr Janet Horner, who contested against McAdam in the recent Dublin Central by-election , joked “I try not to say nice things to your face” but admitted “I am occasionally driven to say nice things behind your back”. She described the former Lord Mayor as a “strong champion for the city” and someone who not only carried out the duties of the role, “but actually enjoyed performing the office of it”. “
Independent Cllr Christy Burke focused on McAdam’s willingness to attend countless public events, openings, fundraisers, and engagements. “There were times I thought there were two of you, I thought they’d cloned you because you were at that many events and places in one day,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of Fianna Fáil, Housing SPC Chair Cllr Deirdre Heney commended McAdam for never leaving anybody out and ensuring the inclusion of everyone in the room. She highlighted the way he conducted himself at the several launches of affordable housing, cost rental, and social homes they attended together.
From McAdam’s own party Fine Gael, Cllr Colm O’Rourke described him as an “outstanding ambassador for our group and capital city”. He spoke about the enthusiasm shown to every engagement and said “at this stage, you’ve probably shook the hand of half the city”.
Now that his term is over, McAdam wishes the best to his successor Lord Mayor Barron, as well as Deputy Lord Mayor Labour Cllr Alison Field. He commented on the work Cllr Field has done advocating on behalf of her son and the parents of children with additional needs.
McAdam stressed that her work leads heavily into his theme of Celebrating Dublin and ambition for it to become the world' s first autism friendly capital . He said the office of Lord Mayor is one he “respects and cherishes” and that this was “a time I’ll never forget”.
Having served Dublin Central as a councillor for the past 17 years, McAdam looks forward to continuing this work as a public representative. However, as he steps back from the office of Lord Mayor he’s focused on “making sure that we have quality family time over the next couple of weeks” and “a good family holiday together” with Niamh and Iarlaith.
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