BREAKING: Michael Sheahan elected Mayor of Limerick City and County

FINE Gael councillor Michael Sheahan has been elected Mayor of Limerick City and County.

The City East area member, a retired national school principal, secured the chain of office after winning 30 of the 40 votes available at the first annual general meeting of the new local authority this Friday afternoon.

His election comes as part of a Fianna Fail-Fine Gael power sharing pact, which was finalised yesterday.

Mayor Sheahan outlined many goals during his victory speech, including a wish to establish a Wild Geese festival, for Limerick's emigrant community.

There was also a nomination for the Green Party's newly elected councillor Brian Leddin.

Meanwhile, fellow Fine Gael councillor Adam Teskey, who topped the poll in Adare/Rathkeale, has been elected as deputy mayor.

Originally co-opted in place of Tom Neville in 2016, he beat off competition from John Costelloe, Sinn Fein.

Cllr Sheahan is the first mayor of this council term. But it’s the second time he has held a top position, having been elected the first metropolitan mayor in the last authority back in 2014.

While that position is now defunct, metropolitan councillors will elect their own Cathaoirleach on Friday, June 14.

The grand coalition deal is in place for five years, and will afford Fine Gael three of the five mayoralties potentially on offer, due to the fact they are now the largest party on council. Fianna Fail will take the other two.

The main parties have divided up the roles on the basis of there being five mayor-making ceremonies. However, following Limerick’s decision to ratify a directly elected mayor, an election for this role could take place as early as next year.

Council sources have indicated they feel this is unlikely, given the body of work involved – and this is why all five years have been planned.

The meeting also saw 17 newly elected councillors take up their seats for the first time. They are Cllrs Abul Kalam Azad Talukder, Sharon Benson, PJ Carey, Bridie Collins, John Egan, Sean Hartigan, Sarah Kiely, Fergus Kilcoyne, Brian Leddin, Michael Murphy, Elisa O'Donovan, Olivia O'Sullivan, Martin Ryan, Conor Sheehan and Catherine Slattery.

More to follow later