FOR chairman of Fermanagh District Council Alex Baird, 2013 has been a year of mixed emotions. It began with serious health problems, but after taking on the council chairmanship again and with the small matter of a G8 to contend with he looks back on the year with fond memories, knowing it could have been much different.
“If you take the year from the beginning last year 2012 and right up to Easter my health wasn’t good, I had been in hospital 15 times for dilatation, but on Easter Sunday things came to a head I had an operation done, I had a colostomy done and I thank God my health has been very good since then. It has picked up – I have had a life that I didn’t have last year.”
Alex admits he would never have considered putting his hat in the ring for chairmanship, but has relished the challenge of representing Fermanagh, calling it both a ‘pleasure’ and a ‘privilege’.
In a year that has seen Alex attend events the length and breadth of not only the county, but across Northern Ireland, he cites the G8 as a highlight.
“I think I did about 19 interviews right across various media outlets both audio and visual and they were all really pleasant, it was a privilege to be in Fermanagh at the time. The profile that Fermanagh got during the G8, we couldn’t have paid for that.
“Success breeds success and I’m hoping tourism will really take off in Fermanagh because the natural beauty we have here, the tourism package that we have, we have something for everybody.”
With such a packed schedule it is difficult to single out single events for mention through the year.
“The world fishing lures championships is one. There were something like 15 international countries, the national anthems were playing, the flags were there. It worked in Fermanagh and it was a wonderful evening, again the payback we get from that through sky should be of great benefit.
“It’s such a pleasure to meet people across Fermanagh and for me someone who blew into Fermanagh in 1966 stayed for four years and then came back five or six years later and been here since, it’s been such a pleasure and more importantly a privilege to be the chairman of Fermanagh District Council and that’s not a platitude, the good people that you meet make it worthwhile.”
As for 2014 the immediate priority for Alex is to continue to serve the people of Fermanagh, but he knows May 22 is looming on the horizon, as is a new addition to the family.
“I have put my name forward and been selected by the party to represent in Erne West for the Shadow Council for elections on May 22 and I’m 66 now, but thank God my health is good and that’ is always the caveat. My daughter Alison is also due to give birth on February 14 so it promises to be a busy 2014.
“Earlier in the year I was thinking only about two or three days ahead of myself, because the way my health was I could have had two or three good days and then it was back down again, but as I say everything is going well. Life goes on and I can handle it.”
To read more.. Subscribe to current edition
Receive quality journalism wherever you are, on any device. Keep up to date from the comfort of your own home with a digital subscription.
Any time | Any place | Anywhere