Limerick: Fine Gael secured its first mayoralty in 14 years in Limerick last night when local election poll-topper Cllr Michael Hourigan was elected the city's first citizen.
The 61-year-old father of seven - who stormed to success in Ward One by getting the highest vote in the city - is Fine Gael's first mayor in Limerick since 1990. His election followed a deal with the Labour party which guarantees the Fine Gael party three of the next five mayoralties in Limerick, with Labour getting the remaining two.
Cllr Hourigan replaces the outgoing Fianna Fáil Mayor Cllr Dick Sadlier who lost his seat in Ward Four to Independent Cllr Jim Long.Independent Cllr John Gilligan - who lost out on becoming mayor last night by just one vote - was elected as Limerick's deputy mayor.
Waterford:
Fine Gael, Labour and three Independents and the lone Fianna Fáil member of Waterford City Council combined to elect Labour's Cllr Séamus Ryan as mayor of the city last night. Cllr Ryan secured 11 votes and the only ones voting against him were two members of the Workers Party and Mr David Cullinane of Sinn Féin. The same 11 were also responsible for creating history when Cllr Mary Roche (Ind) became the first ever woman, in Waterford, to be elected deputy mayor.
In Tramore, Labour's Mr Paddy O'Callaghan was elected mayor as a result of a pact with the three Fine Gael members and a newly-elected member of the Town Council. Cllr O'Callaghan was previously mayor of Tramore two years ago. He was elected by five votes to four having being proposed as mayor by Cllr Joe Conway (Ind) and seconded by Cllr Ann-Marie Power (FG).
Sligo:
Labour Alderman Declan Bree (left) was unanimously elected the new mayor of Sligo yesterday for the first time in his 30 years political career. Alderman Bree was first elected to the borough council and Sligo County Council in 1974 at the age of 22.
He won a Dáil seat for Labour in Sligo-Leitrim in 1992 but lost the seat to Fine Gael five years later. Alderman Bree becomes the first Labour mayor of Sligo since Alderman Tommy Higgins in 1984. Mayor Bree pledged his support for the "welcoming of non- nationals to our shores" and for the provision of badly needed green areas for the town.
Arklow:
A daughter of a former British MP was elected as the new Mayor of Arklow yesterday when the town council had its first meeting after the local elections. Labour Cllr Bernie
O'Halloran defeated Fianna Fail's Cllr Pat Fitzgerald by five-four in a vote for the position as leader of the council.Fine Gael's Cllr Donal O'Sullivan was elected deputy major by the same margin, defeating FF's Dr Bill O'Connell.
Kilkenny:
Cllr Martin Brett of Fine Gael won the Kilkenny contest with the help of the three Labour councillors on the borough council.
Drogheda:
Nine of the 12 newly-elected members of Drogheda Borough Council last night formed a pact that will keep control of the council out of the hands of Sinn Féin for the next five years. The party gained two seats in the recent elections and nominated one of the councillors, Mr Dom Wilton, for the position of first citizen. However, a pre-arranged pact between Labour, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil succeeded in having Mr Ged Nash of Labour elected mayor. Mr Ken O'Heiligh (Ind) abstained.
Monaghan:
Carrickmacross Town Council elected Theresa Carolan (FG) as new town mayor last night. Vincent P Martin (Ind) was elected deputy Mayor. Mr Brendan Hughes (FF) was elected new mayor of Castleblayney. Ms Olive Bolger (Ind) was elected deputy mayor.