Grandmother: Laughing Anglo bankers made me run

The Anti-Austerity Alliance Cork City councillor and grandmother Lil O’Donnell said a combination of anger at the shocking revelations in the Anglo tapes and the introduction of the water tax, compelled her to run for election.

She took the fourth seat in Cork City’s North Central ward, where Labour Lord Mayor Catherine Clancy was ousted.

Ms O’Donnell’s win and the election of two other AAA councillors on the northside, along with the city-wide decimation of Labour, means there are more anti-austerity councillors on the northside than government councillors.

“I think the voters are sending a message now that they have had enough of being told lies by politicians — with people not delivering on their promises for them and their families,” said Ms O’Donnell.

North Central now has two AAA councillors after Socialist Party Cllr Mick Barry, who ran under the AAA banner, held his seat, while AAA candidate Marion O’Sullivan, from Harbour View Rd, took the last seat in the North West ward.

Ms O’Donnell, a home help from Blarney St, said she was doing the dishes at her sink one day when she heard clips on the radio of Anglo bankers laughing.

“There they were talking about millions and millions as if they were talking about bananas — and I said, ‘good God, they’re laughing at me, and my children and my grandchildren’, and that’s what made me go forward for election,” she said.

She phoned one of her sons in the early hours of Sunday morning to tell him the good news, and opened the conversation by saying: “This is Councillor Lil O’Donnell.”

She said she can’t wait to take up her seat on council.

“I will bring 100% commitment to City Hall — the way I’ve worked all my life.

“It doesn’t matter how old you are or how young you are, if you feel passionate about anything, you can get up there and get results.

“It’s about time people woke up to the fact that we have very intelligent voters.”

Mr Barry said: “Clearly, opposition to the policies of austerity, and the water tax in particular, runs very strong in working class communities.

“People are sending out a powerful message that they are rejecting austerity.

“We have a mandate now for building a powerful anti-water tax campaign right throughout the city and county and we will be prioritising that.”

For more in depth updates and analysis on the fallout from this year's election and access to our comprehensive results database visit our special Election 2014 section.