Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has expressed his sadness at the death of the former Fianna Fáil TD and All-Ireland football winner for Roscommon, Dr Hugh Gibbons, who died on Tuesday evening at the age of 91.
Dr Gibbons lived a long life full to the brim of achievement and public service and was one of Roscommon's favourite son's, Mr Ahern said.
"In community life, in politics and in his profession, Hugh Gibbons made a sizeable difference. He will be long remembered in his native county for the positive and generous role he played in its development," he added. The Taoiseach said Dr Gibbons would always be a hero to football supporters in Roscommon.
"He was part of that county's finest generation of footballers. He won back-to-back All-Ireland medals in 1943 and 1944. That side contained some of the true greats of Gaelic games . . . and Hugh Gibbons, too, was one of Roscommon's stars."
The Taoiseach said that in the 1960s, Dr Gibbons brought to politics the same qualities of loyalty, enthusiasm and dedication that he had previously shown as a doctor and as a footballer.
"At Lemass's request, he stood for Fianna Fáil in a byelection in 1964 and while he was not successful on that occasion, he established a solid base for the next general election."
In 1965 Dr Gibbons was elected to the Dáil alongside his party colleague, Brian Lenihan.
"Hugh's time in the Dáil was one of service, of hard work and real achievement. He was an immensely popular politician and he retained his seat in the 1969 and 1973 general elections," said Mr Ahern.
He added: "Hugh retired at the dissolution of the Dáil in 1977. While my time in Leinster House narrowly missed overlapping with Hugh's, I got to know him well on my numerous visits to Roscommon over the years as a minister and as Taoiseach.
"Hugh always had an encouraging word and I respected him greatly as an inspiration to all those who value public service."
Dr Gibbons was born in Strokestown in 1916. He qualified as a doctor in 1940. After practising in a number of posts, he returned to Roscommon as a community doctor and district medical officer in Keadue near Boyle.
The medical and political tradition of the late Dr Gibbons has been carried on by his son Brian, who is a doctor and the minister for social justice and local government in the Welsh Assembly.
