North Cork councillor Frank O'Flynn elected mayor of the county

Mr O’Flynn, who has served as a councillor for 24 years, was elected unopposed and got a standing ovation from his colleagues, family and friends, who packed the council chamber in County Hall

Mr O’Flynn was nominated for the position by the leader of Fianna Fáil on the council, Seamus McGrath, who said he had a wealth of experience and 'an absolutely huge appetite for work'. Picture: Dan Linehan

The longest serving Fianna Fáil councillor in Co Cork has been elected mayor of the county and promised his main priorities will be to get more social and affordable houses built in the region and a fairer share of grant aid from Government departments.

Councillor Frank O’Flynn, a retired Dairygold Co-op manager, has served as a county councillor for 24 years and is vice-chairman of Blackwater Leader Re-source Development Board.

Mr O’Flynn, who lives in the North Cork village of Glanworth, was nominated for the position by the leader of Fianna Fáil on the council, Seamus McGrath, who said he had a wealth of experience and “an absolutely huge appetite for work”. 

Mr O’Flynn was elected unopposed and got a standing ovation from his colleagues, family and friends, who packed the council chamber in County Hall.

Government funding

“Foremost of my priorities is the major pressing issue of providing social and affordable housing. I’m deeply concerned about those struggling to pay exorbitant rents. We also need fairer funding from Government,” Mr O'Flynn said.

For years, the council has received some of the lowest Government funding per kilometre for road upgrades and maintenance, despite having the largest road network of any local authority in the country.

It recently got Government funding to hire three climate adaptation officers, the same number each of six other counties got, though combined they have roughly the same population as Co Cork.

Condition of roads

Several councillors urged Mr O’Flynn to seek an urgent meeting with Transport Minister Eamon Ryan to discuss the condition of some roads in the county.

Carrigtwohill-based Independent councillor John Healy was elected unopposed as deputy mayor. He was coopted onto the council last year, replacing the late Noel Collins, who, with 55 years’ service, was the longest-serving councillor in the history of the State.

Outgoing mayor Independent councillor Danny Collins was praised by colleagues for the work he did during the past year.