Warm tributes paid to ‘multi-talented’ Tommy Cummins for his ‘exemplary service’ to the people of Sligo

By Philip Rooney, The Sligo Champion

Warm tributes to the former Mayor of Sligo and member of Sligo Borough Council, Tommy Cummins, were led by Fianna Fail Councillor, Tom MacSharry at the recent monthly meeting of Sligo County Council.

Cllr MacSharry referred to the late Mr Cummins’ sporting endeavours saying, “He was multi-talented in numerous ways. He distinguished himself in sport, he was the star goalkeeper when Sligo won the Connacht title in 1975 and had many victories with his beloved local team GAA team, St Pats, where they won four county titles and also Tommy distinguished himself on the soccer field and played under a pseudonym as I understand it from his family because of certain rule restrictions but he did play for Sligo Rovers too.

“He was a permanent fixture in The Showgrounds where his brother Seamus served as Chair and on the committee at The Showgrounds for many years. Tommy also was appointed a Peace Commissioner. As somebody who knew many members of An Garda Siochana and the Court Service staff, Tommy was always readily available and served and distinguished himself as a Peace Commissioner.”

Cllr MacSharry also recognised Mr Cummins’ role in local politics saying, “In politics Tommy was always regarded as a gentleman. He was always highly respected by all parties and independents. Tommy was a very strong member of Fianna Fail for many years and he also served with distinction on Sligo Borough Council and as Mayor of Sligo.

“Tommy is a man who will be remembered as somebody who made a very significant commitment to the development of Sligo not only on the sporting pitch but also in local politics. Tommy got a great send off as a former Mayor with the traditional final tour around Sligo town and I have to say it was a lovely ceremony. I have to acknowledge Cllr Bree who was central to organising that and inviting the former Mayors to attend and they were all there bar a few who couldn’t attend.”

Cllr MacSharry sympathised with Mr Cummins’ family saying, “On behalf of our colleagues in Fianna Fail, our deepest sympathy to Tommy’s wife Patsy. Anyone who would have known Tommy and Patsy, they were a great team. Everything that Tommy did she was hugely influential in his political life, and she was a significant factor in his local success in politics. Also, to his daughter Olivia and his sons Jordan and Glynn and indeed his brother Seamus, sisters Carmel, Breedge and Toni and our colleague here in Sligo County Council, Mark Cummins.

Cllr Marie Casserly also paid tribute to the late Mr Cummins who she said, “Embodied the very best of public service. Throughout his years in local government, he brought to this chamber a spirit of integrity, of dedication and of deep respect for the people he was elected to serve.

As Mayor of Sligo, Tommy carried out his duties with great distinction and humility. He represented this town and this county with dignity, compassion and a sincere care for all members of our community. Everything he did was guided by decency and fairness and a genuine desire to make a difference in people’s lives.

"Tommy was immensely proud of Sligo -proud of its people, its music and its culture and its sporting life. He worked tirelessly to promote all that is good and positive about this place and to ensure Sligo’s voice was heard and respected wherever he went. He will be remembered not only for his public service but for his personal qualities – for his warmth, his humour and his wonderful ability to bring people together. His kindness and humanity earned him the respect and affection of all colleagues across all political groupings and of everyone who had the pleasure of knowing him.”

Cllr Casserly also expressed her sympathy to Mr Cummins’ family adding, “On a personal note, Tommy’s mother and my grandmother were sisters and that family connection makes his loss feel all the deeper. In our home over the years, the Cummins family are spoken about so highly and so fondly and it is a real comfort to see the same warmth and the same respect echo throughout the wider Sligo community. Tommy Cummins served his community with honour, with humility and with heart. His loss will live on in the people he inspired and in the better Sligo he helped to build.

Cllr Gerard Mullaney expressed his sympathy on behalf of the Fine Gael party saying, “Tommy exited politics in 2004 when I came into politics. I remember getting to know him at that count and I also met him on many occasions when I was working in Sligo Development Centre, he came over every morning to Londis for his paper.

"He was always very courteous, a very nice gentleman to meet and I remember trying to make a decision in the run-in to the 2019 election whether I would run again or not and I remember him encouraging me to run. He was a thorough gentleman, a great reputation on Sligo Borough Council, a great sportsman, a great community man and somebody that is a big loss to Sligo.”

Cllr Declan Bree paid tribute to the exemplary service Mr Cummins gave to the people of Sligo noting, “Tommy was proud to have played an important role in the civic life of Sligo. As a public representative Tommy’s commitment to the people of Sligo was beyond question.

"A member of Sligo Borough Council from 1994-2004, he had the distinction of serving as Mayor of Sligo in 2022 when he gave exemplary service to the people of this community. Tommy and I may not have shared the same politics, however, despite our political differences, like the great majority of Councillors we always got on extremely well together both inside and outside the Council Chamber. I deem it a privilege to have served alongside him.”

Those sentiments were echoed by Cllr Gino O’Boyle who said, “Tommy gave many years of dedicated public service to the people of Sligo. He was always approachable, fair, compassionate about Sligo and its people. I had the great honour of walking with his funeral cortege, I thought it was such an experience and the amount of respect that was shown from around the town.

Independent Councillor Cllr Michael Clarke added that, “Tommy was an absolute gentleman, I knew him all my life. Since I was a very young man he was our goalie in St Pats GAA through a golden age for St Pats. He was an extraordinary athlete, his kickouts always reached more than 60 yards which was unique at the time and he had an ability to organise the backs in club and county football. He will be missed on the streets of Sligo because whenever we met him he always knew everybody, said hello and had a kind word.”

Cllr Joseph Queenan also paid tribute to the late Mr Cummins saying, “He often gave me good advice, he would give it to you straight between the two eyes. He was a good guy; may he rest in peace.

Labour Party Councillor, Ann Higgins paid tribute to his sporting prowess as well as his role in local politics saying, “Tommy was a great sportsman, a great public representative for Sligo but today we remember his family who are all grieving his loss deeply. The turnout and the respect that was shown by the people of Sligo for him, he earned that and he will be sorely missed.

Cllr Gibbons on behalf of Sinn Fein noted, “Tommy was also a member of staff of the local authority. He was a foreman at the time and would have gotten to know a lot of people in Sligo before he ever stood for election. These things about somebody’s life should never be forgotten.”

Sligo County Council Chief Executive Martin Lydon, paid tribute to the late Mr Cummins on behalf of the Council’s executive saying, “It’s obvious from the way everyone is speaking about Cllr Cummins that he was a well liked man and we would like to be associated with that.”

Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council, Donal Gilroy referenced Mr Cummins' role in Sligo’s 1975 Connacht Championship victory recalling, “I’m one of the few that was old enough to have seen that Connacht Final in 1975 as a mere child when he won his Connacht medal. I checked out with Kevin Colreavy about what name did he use with Sligo Rovers and he actually played under his own name which was unusual because the other famous one at the time was Brian McNiff who played as John Rooney when he played for Sligo Rovers.

"I can only put it down to the GAA couldn’t afford to lose him and ban him. He was such a good goalie that nobody was going to raise any trouble about it. He only played the one time for the Rovers, it wasn’t a particularly good result but it wasn’t his fault, there was a poor defensive line in front of him.”

Following the tributes, matters were adjourned for a brief period, in tribute to Mr Cummins.