The first anniversary of the death of Mr Jim Kemmy, one-time mayor of Limerick and Labour TD, was marked yesterday by public tributes and an announcement by Limerick Corporation that a bridge is to be named after him. The new bridge will cross the Abbey river at Clare Street, as part of the northern ring road, which is due to be opened next year.
A bust of Mr Kemmy is to be placed in the Mechanics' Institute, where he had his political and trade union headquarters, and the room which he used there is to be named in his honour. A new, specially-carved stone was yesterday erected over his grave.
The local 95FM radio station yesterday broadcast a one-hour documentary on Mr Kemmy, during which many tributes were paid to him, including one from the former Labour leader, Mr Dick Spring, who spoke of his high regard for his late colleague "even during the time when we differed on certain ideological matters".