Colm Geary: Town clerk who played key role in shaping modern Derry

Colm Geary, who has died in his 85th year, was a Limerick man who played an important role in shaping modern civic Derry as the first town clerk of Derry City Council on its establishment in 1973. It was a post he held for 18 years.

Until its abolition in 1968, Londonderry Corporation had been the city's local authority. Unionists had held power there through a gerrymander. The new Londonderry City Council was born in stormy times. Derry had been at the centre of the civil rights movement. The new council was a result of that movement, and had a nationalist majority.

The 1970s and 1980s were a time of major riots on the streets, shootings and bombings. Relationships between political parties on the city council reflected events on the streets. As street violence eased in the mid-1980s, political tensions rose again when, in 1984, Londonderry City Council voted to change its name to Derry City Council.

Through it all Geary managed to keep good relations with both nationalists and unionists. This was because of his personality. As well as being able, his affability made him good at dealing with people.

Scrupulously fair

In those dealings he was scrupulously fair. He never got sucked into the internal manoeuvrings endemic to local authorities. He was always calm. To succeed in what he did, he had to avoid controversy.

Colm Mary Geary was born in Limerick city in 1932, the third of four sons to Proinsias Ó Gadhra, who owned a sweet and biscuit factory, and his wife Mairéad (née Ághas). His mother was a first cousin of 1916 leader Thomas Ashe, who died due to force feeding while on hunger strike.

Bhí, leis, Gaeilge ón gcliabhán aici, nó gurb as Lios Póil i nGaeltacht Chiarraí dí. Thóg an Gadhrach suim sa Ghaeilge óna thuismitheoirí, suim a mhair ar feadh a shaoil. Fuair sé a chuid bunscolaíochta trí Gaeilge sa Scoil Modhach i Luimneach.

He received his secondary education at Clongowes Wood College, followed by civil engineering studies at UCD. After graduation, he held several jobs, including as an engineer with Newry Urban Council, and working on developing water and sewage systems in Ghana.

In 1970 he moved to Derry. For his first three years he was an engineer with the Londonderry Development Commission. The old Northern government at Stormont had established this as a replacement for Londonderry Corporation. He then moved into the administrative role of town clerk.

He is survived by his wife Fionnuala; daughters Róisín and Aedín; sons Ronán, John and Éamon; brother Ronán; and eight grandchildren.