Sheila Ireland had spent 14 years as a councillor with Ipswich City Council and missed some quality time with her nine grandchildren in that period.
But the enforced break from council in August 2018, when the previous councillors were dismissed by the State Government, gave her an unexpected opportunity.
“Two more grandchildren were born, a boy and a girl. I am racking them up,” the Karalee resident said.
“It gave me the chance to play nanny. The first nine were all born while I was in office, so it was lovely to have the chance to be there with them this time.”
Cr Ireland served on council between 2004-18. She narrowly lost out by a couple of hundred votes in 2000 to the then deputy mayor.
She believed she was unfairly dismissed two years ago and did not want to end her political career on that sour note.
“I had not finished the work I started and was determined to give it another go. I do not believe all the residents of Ipswich wanted the councillors gone.
“There was a lot of good feedback from the community. They wanted their local councillor there for support.”
Cr Ireland got the all-clear from family, including a very supportive husband Chris, and she hit the local government election campaign trail again in 2020.
“I didn’t think I needed a break, but it did me the world of good. I was able to connect with family and friends and that was satisfying.
“And I was able to start again, recharged and ready to give it a go.”
Cr Ireland is a “proud” fifth generation Ipswichian. She is a Walker, a well-known local family, who opened a coal mine in Ipswich in 1874.
She was educated at St Mary’s College, as were her four children and older grandchildren.
Before council, she owned Pamela Brown’s Cards and Gifts store for 16 years, among other retail businesses in Ipswich City Square.
Cr Ireland has been on the boards of Apprenticeship Queensland and St Andrew’s Hospital, and chaired several committee during five terms on council, most notably Health, Security and Regulatory Services.
Ironically, while now in Division 1, it includes much of her old Division 9. Boundary changes over the years have seen her represent Peak Crossing, Flinders View, Raceview, Ripley, Redbank Plains and most recently Springfield, where her office made way for the new Springfield Central Library in 2018.
“I am looking forward to this new term on council. Most of us met for the first time this week and everyone seemed quite strong and positive. It will be a wonderful opportunity and I know I can do a good job for the people of Ipswich,” she said.
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