An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business
Seanad Éireann — 2026-02-17
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Alison Comyn (FF), Nominated by the Taoiseach

I ask for a moment to mark the passing of a true Drogheda gentleman. Anthony Smith, known universally as Tony, has died aged 87. Tony was one of the great business figures of our town. For more than six decades, he ran the renowned N. Smith and Son Ford garage, a business founded by his father Nicky almost 90 years ago next year, and carried forward through four generations of the same family. Few enterprises in Ireland can point to such continuity, commitment and local loyalty. Tony was far more than a local businessman. He represented a type of community leadership that does not really seek headlines, yet quietly shapes a town's character. Customers became friends, staff became extended family, and people knew that if they walked through the doors of that garage, they would be met with fairness, decency, and a handshake that they could trust.
He said in an interview with me a few years back, in 2021, that the secret to his 60-year marriage to his beloved wife Mary was simple: love each other, say sorry when needed, and never go to bed without saying good night. That tells you everything you need to know about that man. He was grounded, practical and kind. From helping in the garage as a child after school to taking responsibility for the business as a teenager after his father's sudden death, Tony showed resilience, duty, and care for family long before these words became fashionable. Drogheda has not only lost a business giant but one of its quiet pillars. I extend my deepest sympathies to Mary, his children Aisling, Nicky, Tony and Kevin, his grandchildren, and all who loved him. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam uasal.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-02-17/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:38+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-02-17