Meelick Councillor Cathal Crowe has spoken of his pride of being elected as Clare’s First Citizen.
The county’s new Mayor was elected into the role by his fellow Councillors last evening, with his Fianna Fáil colleague Clare Colleran Molloy of Ennis was elected as Deputy Mayor.
An agreement has also been struck in relation to the next four Mayors of Clare, as Clare FM’s Gavin Grace reports.
Cathal Crowe is the first Clare Mayor to hail from Meelick since Michael Brennan, who held the role from 1921.
He’s also the youngest Mayor in that same time frame.
Supported by all of his fellow Councillors, after a successful conclusion to their power-sharing talks, he says his election is a proud moment.
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The power-sharing agreement between Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Technical Group of Independents, and the Green Party and Sinn Féin, sees a variety of roles shared out amongst the 28 Councillors.
In the remaining four years of the Council’s term, Councillors Joe Cooney (FG), PJ Ryan (IND), Tony O’Brien (FF) and Mary Howard (FG) are expected to be elected as Mayors in that order.
It’s also expected that Councillor Pat Hayes will chair the Council’s Strategic Policy Committee on Rural Development, and that his Fianna Fáil colleague Pat McMahon will chair the Economic Development SPC.
Fine Gael’s John Crowe will chari the Physical Development SPC and that Gerry Flynn will stay on as chair of the Social Development SPC that deals with issues including housing.
Whitegate Fine Gael Councillor Burke remains a member of the influential Regional Health Forum West, and will be joined by Fianna Fáil’s Bill Chambers and new Councillors Roisín Garvey (Greens) and Cillian Murphy (FF).
