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Pat Hynes, Galway County Councillor and Mayor of County Galway.
Hynes is a native of Kylegarriff, Killeenadeema, Loughrea. His family originally lived in Lydican Castle, Kiltartan, before being evicted by Cromwellians in the 17th century. They became tenants of Clanricarde at Carrowsteelagh townland (Woodville) in Ballymanagh parish. They were again evicted c. 1700 and settled at Kylegarriff, Killeenadeema.
Hynes is one of a family of seven; two sisters one of whom Mary (deceased) was his twin and four brothers born to Patrick Hynes (1903–1990) (a member of the Irish Volunteers) and Mary Donnellan (1910–2004). His mother was a recognised and acknowledged historian, specialising in genealogy and Irish history. A member of Cumann Na mBhan, she was the daughter of Councillor Patrick Donnellan and Bridget Donnellan (née Cunningham). This particular branch of the Donnellan family were connected to two former Bishops of Clonfert, namely Bishop Peter Donnellan and his brother Andrew Donnellan, natives of Killagh, Kilconnell both of whom served as Roman Catholic Bishops of Clonfert spanning most of the 18th century.
Hynes attended Sonnagh National School and St. Brendan's De La Salle College in Loughrea. In the 1950s, he and his late brother Bernard, settled in Highgate, London, with their uncle Patrick Donnellan, working in the construction industry. They returned to Ireland in 1959 and obtained work in Dublin. He joined An Garda Síochána in the 1960s having won several trophies with the Garda Rowing Club.
His political career began in 1979, as he was elected for Sinn Féin as a Loughrea Town Commissioner. He was re-elected in 1985 on the first count, and became Chairman of Loughrea Town Commissioners in 1989.
In 1994 he was again re-elected having topped the poll. He stood as an independent in 1997 Irish general election, and was elected Chairman of Loughrea Town Commissioners in 1989 and 1994. In 2005 he became Mayor of County Galway, while still serving as Mayor of Loughrea. His public duties included opening the Loughrea By-pass in November 2005; an official visit to Boston to promote tourism, culture and trade (where he met his cousin, Jack Hynes, son of John Bernard Hynes, Mayor of Boston 1950-1960). Hynes also served as Mayor of Loughrea for three terms. He is now an independent.
