Background
The following year his father died and Ó hUiginn took over the family building business.
The following year his father died and Ó hUiginn took over the family building business.
He was the eldest of five children and graduated from Galway University with a Bachelor of Commerce
Ó hUiginn"s family were based on Father Griffin Road, on the west bank of the Corrib. in 1963. At the same time, he was co-opted to serve on the city council to fill the vacancy left by his father"s death. Aged twenty-two, he was its then youngest member.
His last official function for that term was to welcome President of Ireland Erskine Childers to Galway on 29 June 1973, to open the Leisureland complex, which had cost International Rectifier £1.3m.
His second term, 1979-1980, was marked by the Irish visit of Pope John Paul World War II On Sunday 30 September 1979 the Pope arrived in Galway, celebrating mass for at Ballybrit racecourse for three hundred thousand people. Ó hUiginn conferred the Freedom of Galway upon the Pontiff.
His third term was plagued with problems concerning the long-overdue and controversial sewage treatment plant on Mutton Island, which had been dragging on since 1982. Work would only begin on the project in 1999.
One notable high-point was the opening of the newly refurbished Town Hall Theatre, which he opened jointly with Michael Doctorate. Higgins.
He held a civic reception for Irish Olympian, Francie Barrett, and conferred the Freedom of Galway on President of National University of Ireland, Galway, Colm Ó hEocha.
He was a member of the Fianna Fáil party.