Joseph J. Costello
Encyclopedia
Joseph J. Costello was the longest serving Mayor
of Galway
.
Galway Urban Council was abolished in 1937 and the Mayoralty reintroduced with the election of Joseph J. Costello on 9 December 1937. The last Mayor, Edmond Blake, held office till 1841 when the position was dissolved.
Costello would become not only the first of the new town Mayors; his is to date the longest serving, his term of office lasting from 1937 to 29 September 1950. During his term of office he granted the Freedom of Galway to Douglas Hyde
and Éamon de Valera
, set up the 'Mayor's Fuel Fund' to help provide fuel for needy families through the winter. He oversaw the return of the body of William Butler Yeats
to Galway on its way to reburial in Sligo, in 1949.
Events which occurred during his Mayoralty included:
He was a native of the town, by profession a chemist
and first entered public life when elected to the Galway Urban Council in 1924. He was married to Mai Kennedy and had children Joseph, Kathleen and Sheila. He is buried in New Cemetery, Bohermore.
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Galway
Galway
Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
.
Galway Urban Council was abolished in 1937 and the Mayoralty reintroduced with the election of Joseph J. Costello on 9 December 1937. The last Mayor, Edmond Blake, held office till 1841 when the position was dissolved.
Costello would become not only the first of the new town Mayors; his is to date the longest serving, his term of office lasting from 1937 to 29 September 1950. During his term of office he granted the Freedom of Galway to Douglas Hyde
Douglas Hyde
Douglas Hyde , known as An Craoibhín Aoibhinn , was an Irish scholar of the Irish language who served as the first President of Ireland from 1938 to 1945...
and Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera was one of the dominant political figures in twentieth century Ireland, serving as head of government of the Irish Free State and head of government and head of state of Ireland...
, set up the 'Mayor's Fuel Fund' to help provide fuel for needy families through the winter. He oversaw the return of the body of William Butler Yeats
William Butler Yeats
William Butler Yeats was an Irish poet and playwright, and one of the foremost figures of 20th century literature. A pillar of both the Irish and British literary establishments, in his later years he served as an Irish Senator for two terms...
to Galway on its way to reburial in Sligo, in 1949.
Events which occurred during his Mayoralty included:
- the sinking of the Athenia off Galway, just ten hours after the outbreack of World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in 1939. - the crash-landing of the Damyankee on 16 September 1944
He was a native of the town, by profession a chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
and first entered public life when elected to the Galway Urban Council in 1924. He was married to Mai Kennedy and had children Joseph, Kathleen and Sheila. He is buried in New Cemetery, Bohermore.
Sources
- Role of Honour:The Mayors of Galway City 1485-2001, by William Henry, Galway, 2002. ISBN 0906312509
External links
- http://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/14923
- http://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/10354