Mayor of Galway

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Mayor of Galway
Galway crest.png
Incumbent
Hildegarde Naughton, FG
since 2011
Appointer Galway City Council
Term length 1 year
Inaugural holder Peirce Lynch
Formation 1485
Deputy Colette Connolly (Lab)
Website www.galwaycity.ie

The office of Mayor of Galway is an honorific title used by the Irish: Cathaoirleach of Galway City Council. The Council has jurisdiction throughout its administrative area which is the city of Galway – the largest city in the province of Connacht, in the Republic of Ireland. The office was originally established by a charter issued by King Richard III of England in December 1484 and had significant powers. The office was all but abolished under the Local Government Act 2001. All that remains of the office, per section 11 of the Act is a symbolic role: "Subject to this Act, royal charters and letters patent relating to local authorities shall continue to apply for ceremonial and related purposes in accordance with local civic tradition but shall otherwise cease to have effect.". The Act goes on to state the chairman of the Council must be styled the Cathaoirleach and that "Any reference in any other enactment to the lord mayor, mayor, chairman, deputy lord mayor, deputy mayor or vice-chairman or cognate words shall, where the context so requires, be read as a reference to the Cathaoirleach or Leas-Chathaoirleach or other title standing for the time being." (section 31 (3)).

Contents

[edit] Election to the office

The Cathaoirleach is elected to office annually by councillors of Galway City Council from amongst its members. There is no popular vote. Up to 1841, Mayors were elected in August and took office in September. There was a strong tradition of festivities to mark this start of a new municipal year. Current practise is for the term of office to begin in June with the former Mayor presenting the Chain of Office to the incoming Mayor, thus formally inaugurating a new term. The process is repeated the following June, unless the same person is given a second consecutive term.

[edit] History of the office

The office has existed, with a break of ninety-seven years, since it was inaugurated in 1485. The Mayor led Galway Corporation from 1485 to 1841 and again from 1937 to 2001.

Previous to the creation of the mayoralty, the town of Galway was ruled by a Provost or Sovereign, who were appointed by the Earl of Ulster. After the murder of the 3rd Earl in June 1333, the town was under the control of successive members of the Clanricarde line of the Burke family. This situation lasted until well into the 15th century. However, charters from Richard III (in 1396) and Edward IV (in 1364) gave the citizens of the town semi-independence from the Clanricardes.

The office of Mayor of Galway was created by a charter issued by King Richard III of England in December 1484 at the solicitation of merchants from the city's leading families, known as the Tribes of Galway. This made Galway a virtual city-state. Although it survived the turbulent 17th century, the massive corruption of the office led to its disestablishment in 1841, when Galway Corporation was relegated to the status of an Urban District Council, headed by a chairman. In 1937 the city regained its corporation status and the office of Mayor was re-installed.

[edit] Mayors of the Tribes 1485–1654

[edit] Mayors of the Commonwealth and Restoration

[edit] Mayors of the Penal Era 1691–1762

[edit] Mayors of the Daly Regime 1762–1840

[edit] Galway Urban District Council 1840–1937

Galway Corporation was abolished in 1841, not to be restored until 1937.

[edit] The Mayoralty restored: mayors since 1937

Term start Term end Mayor Party Notes
1937 1950 Joseph J. Costello  
1950 1952 Michael O'Flaherty  
1952 1953 Michael Lydon  
1953 1954 Joseph Owens  
1954 1960 Peter Greene  
1960 1961 James Redington  
1961 1962 Fintan Coogan, Snr   Fine Gael
1962 1963 Patrick D. Ryan  
1963 1964 Martin Divilly  
1964 1965 Patrick O'Flaherty  
1965 1966 Brendan Holland  
1966 1967 Brendan Holland  
1967 1968 Thomas Tierney  
1968 1969 Bobby Molloy   Fianna Fáil
1969 1970 Fintan Coogan, Snr   Fine Gael
1970 1971 Martin Divilly  
1971 1972 Mickey Smyth   Labour Party
1972 1973 Michéal Ó hUiginn  
1973 1974 Patrick O'Flaherty  
1974 1975 Fintan Coogan, Snr   Fine Gael
1975 1976 Mary Byrne   Fianna Fáil
1976 1977 Gerard G. Colgan  
1977 1978 Shelia Jordan  
1978 1979 John Francis King  
1979 1980 Michéal Ó hUiginn  
1980 1981 Bridie O'Flaherty   Fianna Fáil
July 1981 December 1981 Claude Toft  
December 1981 1982 Michael D. Higgins   Labour Party
1982 1983 Pat McNamara  
1983 1984 Michael Leahy   Fianna Fáil
1984 1985 Mary Byrne   Fianna Fáil
1985 1986 Bridie O'Flaherty   Fianna Fáil Joined the Progressive Democrats while mayor
1986 1987 John Mulholland   Fine Gael
1987 1988 Martin Connolly  
1988 1989 Fintan Coogan, Jnr   Fine Gael
1989 1990 Angela Lupton   Fine Gael
1990 1991 Michael D. Higgins   Labour Party
1991 1992 Michael Leahy   Fianna Fáil
1992 1993 Pádraic McCormack   Fine Gael
1993 1994 Henry O'Connor  
1994 1995 Fintan Coogan, Jnr   Fine Gael
1995 1996 Michéal Ó hUiginn  
1996 1997 John Mulholland   Fine Gael
1997 1998 Michael Leahy   Fianna Fáil
1998 1999 Angela Lynch   Fine Gael
1999 2000 Declan McDonnell   Progressive Democrats
2000 2001 Martin Quinn   Fianna Fáil
2001 2002 Donal Lyons   Progressive Democrats
2002 2003 Val Hanley   Fianna Fáil
2003 2004 Terry O'Flaherty   Progressive Democrats Daughter of former mayor Bridie O'Flaherty
2004 2005 Catherine Connolly   Labour Party
2005 2006 Brian Walsh   Fine Gael Youngest recorded Mayor of Galway [1]
2006 2007 Niall Ó Brolcháin   Green Party
2007 2008 Tom Costello   Labour Party
2008 2009 Pádraig Conneely   Fine Gael
2009 2010 Declan McDonnell   Independent
2010 2011 Michael Crowe   Fianna Fáil
2011 2011 Hildegarde Naughton   Fine Gael

[edit] External links

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