Upset as internal party feud breaks Limerick mayor pact

A BITTER internal row within the Labour Party in Limerick cost Fine Gael the mayoralty of the city last night when independent councillor John Gilligan was sensationally elected to the city’s highest office.

Fine Gael’s Kevin Kiely was seen as a certainty to be elected with a pact between his party and Labour. However, a row within the city’s Labour party recently led to the defection of Labour councillors Kieran Walsh and James Houlihan, which left the party with three remaining members on the council.

Fine Gael, with six members, were confident Mr Kiely would total nine votes in the 17-member council.

In a dramatic turn of events, however, Labour’s John Ryan broke ranks and voted for Mr with his two former Labour members, four independents and two Fianna Fáil members giving Mr Gilligan a nine: eight victory.

Fine Gael members were visibly shocked at the turn of events and they had expected Independent member, Cllr Kathleen Leddin, to back their candidate.

The new mayor, who lives in a crime blackspot of Lee Estate, has been forthright in his condemnation of feuding gangs, whom he said have brought disgrace to the city and represent a handful of drug-peddling groups.

On his election, Mr Gilligan said: “What I have done in politics in Limerick down the years, I have done it honestly and openly. One of the major things I am looking forward to is working as a full-time public representative in politics.”

Mr Gilligan has for many years been a community activist in the St Mary’s Park area of the city, which has been designated for total redevelopment as part of the regeneration plan for the city.

Last night’s developments are seen as a blow to the Labour front-bench spokeswoman on health, Jan O’Sullivan TD, who had pledged Labour’s commitment to honour its pact with Fine Gael regarding the mayoralty.

Fine Gael members were critical of the about-turn in Labour which led to last night’s election of Mr Gilligan. Observers said it was one of the biggest upsets in local politics in Limerick in decades.

Meanwhile, the Fine Gael/Labour ranks were thrown into further turmoil when Cllr John Cronin of Fianna Fáil won the deputy mayorship in a tied vote with former rugby international Gerry McLoughlin of Labour. When the vote was called, Cllr John Ryan had left the chamber and both Mr McLoughlin and Mr Cronin received eight votes each.