High-profile Limerick businesswoman to launch her bid for mayoralty

WELL-KNOWN city businesswoman Helen O’Donnell will this Monday morning launch her bid to become the first directly elected mayor of Limerick.

It comes as President Michael D Higgins formally signed the laws governing the new, prestigious role into law, after it passed through Dail Eireann and Seanad Eireann.

And the Electoral Commission has now moved to confirm the maiden election to become executive mayor will take place alongside the local and European elections on Friday, June 7.

It means Limerick voters will be presented with three voting papers - one for their district of the city or county to elect local council members, one for the Ireland South European election constituency, plus one for the mayoral election.

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Following Ms O’Donnell’s entry into the election race as an Independent, there are now four confirmed candidates in the race for the role.

City TD Brian Leddin of the Green Party was first to declare before Christmas, followed by Ruairi Fahy of People Before Profit, who is also seeking a council seat on the northside.

The former secretary general at the Department of Finance John Moran joined the race last month.

Chamber chief executive Dee Ryan is to seek the Fianna Fail party nomination, meaning she is not yet confirmed on the ballot.

Likewise, Labour’s northside councillor Conor Sheehan has also expressed an interest in going for the prestigious role but is as of yet unconfirmed.

Ms O'Donnell has been in business in Limerick for more than 30 years, running the cafe in the Hunt Museum through her firm Dolmen Catering up to 2022 when she retired.

She also chairs the Paul Partnership, which aims to tackle disadvantage in the city.

A community activist, she chairs the board of management at Crescent College Comprehensive and a member of A t-Údarás Rialaithe, the governing body of Mary Immaculate College.

Elsewhere, she chairs the Limerick City Tidy Towns committee and sits as a member of the JP McManus Benevolent Fund committee.

Her late husband, Tom is a former government minister and MEP.

Ms O’Donnell is to formally launch her campaign at the Limerick Strand Hotel this morning.