FREEDOM OF THE CITY OF KILKENNY
FREEDOM OF THE CITY OF KILKENNY
SATURDAY, 22ND NOVEMBER, 2008
MR. SEAMUS PATTISON AND MR. BRIAN CODY
The Mayor and Members of Kilkenny Borough Council will confer the Freedom of the City of Kilkenny on Mr. Seamus Pattison and Mr. Brian Cody, at a ceremony in Kilkenny on Saturday 22nd November 2008.
The conferral ceremony will take place in the Parade Tower Conference Centre at Kilkenny Castle followed by a reception in the Great Hall.
Mr. Seamus Pattison:
Mr. Pattison, former Ceann Comhairle, is being honoured for a lifetime of public service, during which he served his native Kilkenny in both local and national politics.
Mr. Pattison first entered Dáil Eireann in 1961 and served as a T.D. without interruption, for over forty five years, for the Carlow/Kilkenny constituency. He was the longest serving Labour T.D. ever elected and during his time in Dáil Eireann he served as a Minister of State, Ceann Comhairle and Leas Ceann Comhairle.
Mr. Pattison served as Mayor of Kilkenny on no less than three occasions and served two terms as Chairman of Kilkenny County Council.
Mr. Pattison was born into and grew up in a politicised family environment as his father, James P., served in Dáil Eireann for twenty-two years and also served as a member of Kilkenny Corporation and Kilkenny County Council.
Mr. Brian Cody:
Mr. Brian Cody, Kilkenny Senior Hurling Manager, is being honoured for his contribution to hurling in Kilkenny, both as a player and manager.
Born in Sheestown, Co. Kilkenny, in 1954 into a family hugely involved with the GAA., Brian was educated at his local national school and later attended the famed St. Kieran's College in Kilkenny. It was at St. Kieran's where Brian first experienced hurling success and where his inter-county career with Kilkenny evolved. Brian later attended St. Patrick's College in Dublin where he studied to be a primary school teacher and currently works as a teacher at St. Patrick's De-La Salle School in Kilkenny.
As a manager Brian has achieved remarkable success. Since 1999, when he took over as Manager of the Kilkenny Senior Hurling Team, Brian has led Kilkenny to six All-Ireland titles, nine Leinster titles and four National Hurling League titles. Kilkenny's dominance of the Leinster Championship is unparalleled in the modern era, to such an extent that under Brian Cody Kilkenny have only lost one provincial game since 1999. Brian is currently the longest serving manager of any team in the senior championship and is considered to be one of the greatest managers of the modern game.
Brian Cody enjoyed similar success during his playing career where amongst other successes Brian holds five All-Ireland Medals.