FORMER TD Seán 'Dublin Bay' Loftus died in hospital in the early hours of yesterday morning. He was 82. In 1972 a plan to build an oil refinery in Dublin Bay was vigorously opposed by environmentalists such as Loftus. The colourful barrister, who specialised in planning law, will always be remembered for changing his name by deed poll to Seán 'Dublin Bay' Loftus when he contested the 1973 general election. He stood in every general election from 1961 to 1997 and was elected once in 1981 to the short-lived 22nd Dáil. A former Dublin city councillor, he served as Lord Mayor of Dublin from 1995 to 1996, and was also involved in a campaign to press the Irish government to claim Rockall island 424 kilometres off the Donegal coast.