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.