Lady Ritchie, a former SDLP leader and South Down MP has expressed her sadness at the death of one of County Down’s well known councillors, Michael Carr.
“I was deeply saddened to learn yesterday morning of the untimely passing of my friend and political colleague, Michael Carr from Warrenpoint who had been ill for a little while,” said Lady Ritchie. “He celebrated his 69th birthday on the day of his passing.
“Michael was first and foremost a Warrenpoint man. He served on the local Harbour Authority and was Captain of the local Warrenpoint Golf Club. He was also closely associated with St Peter’s GAA in Warrenpoint. In many ways, Michael was an ambassador for Warrenpoint through his various roles.
“Michael served as a Councillor with distinction for the SDLP for many many years in the legacy Newry and Mourne Council and then in the new Newry Mourne and Down District Council. He was a former Chairman of the legacy Council and served on many committees.
“He was also a candidate for the Party along with myself in the 2007 NI Assembly Election. In all his political roles, Michael displayed an empathy with the needs of the people of Warrenpoint. He was hard working, diligent, enthusiastic, an innovator and had an immense attention to detail. Michael replaced me on the Nuclear Free Local Authorities and worked with us against the indiscriminate dumping of nuclear waste in the Irish Sea.
“Also, we visited Sellafield under the auspices of the East Border Region Committee in 2002 to protest against the transportation of radioactive waste up and down the Irish Sea for reprocessing.
“Above all, Michael Carr was a gentleman and a family man. He will be sorely missed by his wife Kay, his children and grandchildren and his siblings and the many members of the Carr family throughout Warrenpoint and further afield.
“My deepest sympathies to Kay and his family. May Michael Rest In Peace.”
Laura Devlin, SDLP Councillor for The Mournes and current Chairperson of Newry Mourne and Down District Council, has spoken out following the death of her friend and former colleague Michael Carr.
Cllr Devlin said: “I was shocked to hear of Michael’s death on Sunday morning. Michael was an absolute gentleman through and through who had Warrenpoint at the heart of all that he did. He was a superb Councillor who relished in detail and in what was right, proper and just.
“Since coming onto Newry Mourne and Down District Council in 2013 as a councillor on Newry District Council, Michael showed me great friendship and was always on hand to offer advice and knowledge.
“One conversation I remember that stood out was before I had my son Tom – it was all about family and its importance. He adored Kay and his family, and was always chatting about the children – where they were in the world and their achievements.
“We are all very sad at the news of his passing as he will be sorely missed by us all. Rest in Peace our lovely, kind Michael.”
