Surprise mayor begins term of office in Dublin

The 377th Lord Mayor of Dublin, Cllr Vincent Jackson, begins the first day of his year-long term today.

The independent’s name was pulled from a hat after he earlier tied on 26 votes with the front-runner candidate, Cllr Paddy Bourke of Labour.

An alliance of Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin members on Dublin City Council had unexpectedly backed Cllr Jackson for the mayoralty.

Cllr Jackson was presented with his chain of office by outgoing Lord Mayor, Cllr Catherine Byrne, who pipped the Ballyfermot representative by just one vote in last year’s contest.

On Cork City Council, Labour’s Cllr Michael Ahern was elected first citizen to succeed Cllr Deirdre Clune.

Cllr Joe Leddin of Labour became the 810th Mayor of Limerick while Cllr Laurence “Cha” O’Neill (Ind) was elected in Waterford.

In Sligo, Fianna Fáil’s Tom MacSharry, a nephew of former Finance Minister and EU Commissioner Ray MacSharry, was voted in first citizen.