South Roscommon councillors weigh in on Mayor Ming 'prayergate' incident

Councillors in South Roscommon have weighed in on a controversy over whether or not the county's agnostic Mayor should recite a prayer at the start of each council meeting. The Mayor of Roscommon County Council typically leads members in a short prayer before each meeting of the local authority. But last week Luke 'Ming' Flanagan's first meeting as Mayor got off to an eventful start when the Independent councillor declined to say the prayer and asked Meetings Administrator, Fiona Ni Chuinn, to recite it instead. "I'm an Agnostic and I have to believe in what I say. I won't be a hypocrite," said Cllr Flanagan. The mayor's stance resulted in a heated debate, with Cllr Tom Crosby telling him: "You have to respect a tradition which has gone on for 111 years." After a short adjournment to resolve the issue, the councillors agreed that, for the remainder of 'Ming's' term, the Deputy Mayor, Fine Gael's Cllr Ernie Keenan, would say the prayer before meetings. This week the Westmeath Independent contacted all six representatives in the Athlone Electoral Area of Roscommon County Council in order to get their views on the matter. Two of the six said they had no problem with the Mayor's stance, while the remaining four felt he should have maintained the tradition of reciting the prayer. Independent Cllr Jimmy Kenny, from Ballydangan, said he was unhappy that 'Ming' had refused to lead the prayer. "He has his own ideas, but he should have kept the tradition of the Mayor saying the prayer. As a Catholic, and as the Deputy Mayor last year, if I had been asked to say the prayer I would have no problem with doing so. "The thing to remember is that, as Mayor, you're representing all the people of Roscommon and I think a majority of people in the county would like to have the Mayor say the prayer. It's a simple thing and you've nothing to lose by saying it." Fianna Fail's Cllr Paddy Kilduff, from Glanduff, Kiltoom, expressed a similar view. "It's a big honour to serve as Mayor of your county and when you're acting in that capacity you shouldn't be bringing personal views into it," said Cllr Kilduff. "I have no problem with his beliefs. If he wants to be an agnostic that's up to him, but I'm hoping that there won't be any other issues he'll have a problem with over the course of the year. "I'd be worried that there might be certain events or ceremonies that he feels, as an agnostic, he can't attend. If we had a Catholic Bishop, a Protestant Bishop, or indeed a Rabbi come to meet with us I wonder would he have a problem greeting them or addressing them?" Taughmaconnell Cllr Ollie Moore said he had respect for the point of view which was articulated by Cllr Flanagan. "There isn't a whole lot of point in him saying a prayer that he doesn't believe in. It's nice that a prayer is said before meetings, but I don't have any issue with who says it. "I prefer the line that he took - that he wouldn't be hypocritical by reading out the prayer. I think one's religious beliefs are their own business." Cllr Moore's Fine Gael colleague, Cllr John Naughten from Drum, said: "Personally I'd have preferred if he had said the prayer, because that was the protocol that had been followed in the past, but he felt that he had to take the view on it that he did. "The issue has been addressed and the best possible solution has been found, so I think we have to accept that and move on." Monksland's Cllr John Keogh felt the Mayor was entitled to express his viewpoint in relation to religion. "I think everyone is entitled to freedom of expression in terms of their religious beliefs or lack thereof," said the Fianna Fail representative. "It should be noted that he didn't refuse to allow the prayer to be said. He just didn't want to say it himself. "Perhaps he should have gone to the council ahead of time (to arrange for another member to say the prayer) rather than just handing it over to the meetings administrator, but other than that he's entitled to his beliefs, religious or otherwise, and that should be respected." However the previous Mayor of Roscommon, Curraghboy's Cllr Tony Ward was unequivocal in his stance that - regardless of Cllr Flanagan's personal beliefs - he should have recited the prayer at last week's meeting. "He says he's a non-believer and I accept that, but it's not about whether he believes or does not believe," said the Independent councillor. "This is a tradition that has been in place since the first chairman of the council in 1899 and I think it would be a very sad day if we're going to start throwing away our traditions. "For example, I was in Croke Park yesterday (for Roscommon v Cork) and I would have been greatly saddened if Amhrán na bhFiann was not played before the game. "I think ('Ming') should have said the prayer. This means a lot to people and it's not about politics. "I have no problem with any person, believer or not, but if you join the army you have to wear the uniform. I don't see why, as a custodian of the chair, he should try to change a tradition that's been in place for over 100 years," concluded Cllr Ward.