Lisa Chambers — 2023-11-28

Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy

FF Lisa Chambers · Cultural and Educational Panel

Party shown is the one held on 2023-11-28, frozen at parse time — not the speaker's party today.

Summary of this debate

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Before I call the Leader to outline the Order of Business, I know we were all deeply saddened to hear of the death of Tras Honan, a former Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann. She was the first woman ever elected to the then Ennis Urban District Council and also the first woman to serve as the chairperson of Clare County Council. Honan, also having been a member of this House for 20 years, while her sister, Carrie, served as a Teachta Dála.

Ms Honan was first elected in 1977 and served here until 1993. She has the distinction of being the first and, to date, the only woman to serve as Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann, a role she undertook for two terms. The Cathaoirleach commented eloquently on the sad passing of Tras Honan.

Built by scoring every sentence in the debate on how distinctive its language is, then quoting the highest-scoring ones back word for word and in the order spoken. Nothing is paraphrased or invented — if a sentence appears here, it was said in the chamber. Drawn from 337 words across 2 contributions by 2 speakers.

Most used terms in this debate

How often each word appears across the whole debate, ranked by how distinctive it is to this debate rather than common to all parliamentary language.

honan 4

cathaoirleach 5

tras 2

seanad 5

elected 4

cherish 2

éireann 4

honan's 1

served 3

woman 3

serve 3

carrie 1

The full debate

All 2 contributions, start to finish, in the order they were made. The one you came here for is highlighted.

CC Mark Daly

Before I call the Leader to outline the Order of Business, I know we were all deeply saddened to hear of the death of Tras Honan, a former Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann. She was a native of Clonmel, County Tipperary and went on to run the family pub in County Clare for many years. She was the first woman ever elected to the then Ennis Urban District Council and also the first woman to serve as the chairperson of Clare County Council.

Ms Honan's family was steeped in politics, with her husband, Derry, having been a Senator for many years and her father-in-law, T. V. Honan, also having been a member of this House for 20 years, while her sister, Carrie, served as a Teachta Dála. They were the only sisters to serve in the Seanad and Dáil at the same time. Ms Honan was first elected in 1977 and served here until 1993. She has the distinction of being the first and, to date, the only woman to serve as Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann, a role she undertook for two terms. After her time in elected politics, she went on to be a chairperson of Bus Éireann.

We will all remember fondly her time with us last year when she was here for the "Women in the Seanad" exhibit. She opened that and gave us her reflections and thoughts on her time here when she served as a Senator and as Cathaoirleach of the House. To her son, T. V., and daughter, Ann, and her brother Aidan, we express our deepest sympathies, as well as to her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. When she was elected as Cathaoirleach in 1982, she said: "I cherish this House, its work and its traditions". It is fitting that we would cherish her memory, work and service to Seanad Éireann today.

FF Lisa Chambers this contribution

The Cathaoirleach commented eloquently on the sad passing of Tras Honan. I will move a motion for an expression of sympathy at the conclusion of the Order of Business.