Lifford courthouse was full last Wednesday with staff, management and elected members who gathered to offer best wishes to respected colleague Eamon Canney on his retirement.
Canney first joined the council in 1985, and many stories were shared at the function which was attended by his wife Moira, son Edward and daughter-in-law Hope.
A Galway native now living in Donegal Town, Eamon recalled his earlier years working for the council when there were only 27 engineers in for all of Donegal.
“When I joined the Council where was only 27 engineering or technical staff in the whole organisation, today there is close to that number of technical and engineering staff in the National Road Design Office in Donegal Town alone”.
“I have been in the fortunate position of working with lots of different teams and all of them have shown tremendous talent, innovation and dedication. They are great people and they have delivered quality projects. There has been a clear step change in the quality of infrastructure in Donegal from my early years in the Council and the staff and management of Donegal County Council should take great credit for this”.
“One of the things that I have noticed over the years is that when I joined the Council there were very few engineers from Donegal working in Donegal County Council. That has changed, the vast majority of engineers are now Donegal born and this is really important. They have a tremendous sense of place, they are passionate about what they are doing and indeed about Donegal.”
“Although I am looking forward to my retirement, I do have mixed emotions. There is a tinge of sadness. Looking back over the years, I have worked with hundreds of people in Donegal County Council. The Council has been a wonderful employer and has always been good to me.”
We all wish Eamon and his wife Moira many years of happiness and health as they both enter a new chapter in their lives.
Pictured at retirement function for Senior Engineer Eamon Canney is Cllr. Gerry McMonagle Cathaoirleach, Hope Canney, Moira Canney, Edward Canney, Carmel Gallagher, Eamon Canney, Seamus Neely & John McLaughlin