An Ennis Councillor says it was an honour to represent people of Cloughleigh, Ennis and the county.
Fianna Fáil’s Mark Nestor is to formally resign his Council seat next week, in order to enter the priesthood.
Cloughleigh native Mark Nestor was elected as the youngest member of Clare County Council in 2019’s local elections, but just three years on, he’s to resign his council seat to enter the priesthood.
In an exclusive interview with Clare FM’s Morning Focus, the Cloughleigh native says he considered discerning a vocation to the priesthood on a number of occasions since his late teens, but says for personal reasons he was unable to answer the call.
He subsequently entered politics and while the Fianna Fáil Councillor says he tried to hang on to his seat for as long as possible, to do the best he could for the people of Clare, the time had come for him to answer the call.
Since taking his seat, Mark Nestor has been noted for his work around the Irish language, community and voluntary groups and mental health services.
Councillor Nestor was due to take up the mantle of Mayor of Ennis earlier this year, but turned the position down.
He says while he has no regrets about entering political life, juggling both his role as Councillor with life in the priesthood wasn’t possible.
Councillor Nestor says it was an honour to represent the people of Clare and he’s hopeful of continuing to do so in a different capacity going forward.
He’s issued this message of thanks.
Mark Nestor will formally resign at the September meeting of Clare County Council on Monday, after which a process will begin to co-opt a replacement.
Listen back to the full interview here:
