SPRINGFIELD man, Eddie Elliott was a councillor during one of the most turbulent periods politically for Fermanagh District Council.

A Ulster Unionist councillor in the 1970s, in the bygone days when much of the work was conducted voluntarily, Eddie’s time as chairman was a constant struggle between fulfilling his political duties and running a dairy farm at home.

“There was plenty of controversy in my time,” he recalls, “And I served for quite some time as chairman – there was no one willing to take it on!

“Back then you were not paid for it.

“You could be heading up the road to Belfast twice a week and you were never paid for that. I did it for nothing but I enjoyed it.

“I was interested in local government work at that stage and I felt I was making a difference for people in the area.” But the constant conflict between Unionists and Nationalists around the chamber was a difficult experience for Eddie.

“There were a lot of difficult decisions to be made. In the council I was working with people I knew and respected in the Nationalist community but we were opposing each other on so many different matters.

“We got on well when I was chair. They gave me a great send off when I stepped down as chair.” A dairy farmer, Eddie says he often felt he was meeting himself on the roads between Belfast and Fermanagh.

“I would have to rise at 4am to milk and go to Springfield creamery and then head up the road to Belfast. It wasn’t easy.

“Dairy farming is such a tying job anyway never mind having the responsibilities of a chairman as well.

“But I was young and able at the time and the other council members were very good to me – they all treated me with respect and I have so many good memories of Fermanagh District Council.

“When I became chair I was 28 – before that the chairmen were a lot older. So I was regarded as a cub!

“But after some time, it became increasingly difficult to run the farm and perform my councillor duties. So it had to come to an end.” Based on his own experience, Eddie believes members of the new Super council will have their work cut out for them.

“It will be more complicated I would think – I don’t think you could be in it unless you were full-time at it now. You certainly couldn’t do what I did back then. It is a bigger commitment now.”