Bradley Bytes – A sort of political column by Dara Bradley

Colette Connolly (Ind) declared ‘your health is your wealth’ in a Galway City Tribune feature last week, marking her retirement after 18 years as a councillor.

Everywhere you turned at the count centre at the weekend, there was a newly elected councillor who could relate to that sentiment. They were like the walking wounded in Westside.

The first councillor elected, Mike Cubbard, revealed the hardest part of the campaign was canvassing with an excruciatingly painful herniated disc in his back. It slowed him down but didn’t impact the result – his number ones increased by 194 compared to 2019. Cubbard is due to have surgery today (Friday) and should be back fighting fit before the general election within months.

Eibhlín Seoighthe also struggled on, canvassing in City Central with a dislocated right shoulder. The Soc Dems’ newest councillor is due for surgery this July.

Re-elected Frank Fahy (FG) revealed his own recent health scare, which required treatment on his eyes. Despite the setback, he earned almost a third more number ones compared with 2019.

Alan Cheevers was overcome with emotion when he topped the poll in City East – the Fianna Fáil councillor bravely went public on his health recent battle to raise awareness about bowel cancer.

Declan McDonnell confirmed he had “five operations in 2023”. Three were on his prostate. It “went wrong”, he said and had to be repaired twice, with surgery and blood transfusions. That followed neck surgery three years ago, after breaking three bones. “The body is better than ever now with all the repair jobs,” he joked.

Donal Lyons had a serious health scare in December 2020. “I was very lucky. I had an unprovoked pulmonary aneurism, or blood clots on my left lung and was in hospital for seven days,” he said.

That spurred him to retire from An Post – to become a full-time councillor. “I’m healthy now thank God,” Donal added.

Last, but not least, was Galway West TD Noel ‘hop-along’ Grealish. His left foot was in a fracture boot and he was walking with the aid of crutches. Apparently, he slipped while rushing to vote in the Dáil. But we prefer Noel’s version that involves FF constituency colleague Éamon Ó Cuív. “I’m telling people Ó Cuív tripped me, out canvassing on the way to a house of an undecided!”

Pictured: The injured Noel Grealish: ‘I’m telling people Ó Cuív tripped me, out canvassing on the way to a house of an undecided!’