Councillors extend condolences to family of late Terry Connaughton

A vote of sympathy was passed at Monday’s meeting of Roscommon County Council to the family of Athleague native Terry Connaughton, who was synonymous with New York GAA.

Mr Connaughton passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on April 21st last, aged 93.

Proposing a councillor's vote of sympathy at the plenary meeting of the local authority, Fianna Fáil councillor Larry Brennan extended condolences to Mr Connaughton’s wife Anne and their five children, Terry jnr., Eileen, Mary-Anne, Eamon and Donal.

Cllr Brennan told elected members that Mr Connaughton, Riverdale, Bronx, was a very influential member of the Irish community in New York.

“He was very involved in many groups and projects but probably the one for which he was best known was the GAA, where he served as President of the New York Board for a number of years,” he said.

Cllr Brennan said that Mr Connaughton ran a very successful business with his family at the well-known Riverdale Steakhouse “where many from this area got their first gainful employment in America”.

“Despite many years in New York, Terry never lost contact with his beloved Athleague in Roscommon and Ireland as a whole. He was a frequent visitor to these parts and he remained a fantastic ambassador to Roscommon up to his recent death,” he said.

Fine Gael councillor Domnick Connolly said he wished to associate himself with those remarks, describing Mr Connaughton as “an icon in America”. Cllr Connolly added that Mr Connaughton had helped many young people find work when they came to the United States, as had his brother Billy, who died about 12 months ago and who owned a successful business in Manhattan.

Cllr Connolly said that Terry Connaughton was hugely involved in the GAA and before emigrating, captained a Roscommon minor hurling team in 1952, defeating Galway in the Connacht Final.

He said that he was a frequent visitor to these shores and “would never be forgotten”.

Independent councillor Tony Ward said that if you were a Roscommon person in the Riverdale steakhouse, “you wouldn’t leave hungry”, adding that Mr Connaughton was a great hurler at underage and senior level for club and county.

Cllr Laurence Fallon, who had met Mr Connaughton several times, described him as “an exceptional man known in Ireland and New York. 

“He gave a leg-up to many, many people who went out to New York and he never forgot he was a Roscommon man,” said the Independent councillor.

Council Cathaoirleach, Cllr Liam Callaghan, also extended his sympathies, pointing out that Mr Connaughton’s steakhouse was always very open to Roscommon people and that he was a great supporter of hurling, ladies football and sport in general.

“He always made Roscommon people feel welcome when they went to the States,” said the Fine Gael councillor.

Independent councillor Emer Kelly also extended her condolences.