City Council meets tonight as Boylan likely to be elected new lord mayor

Cork city councillors will vote tonight at their annual meeting on the city's new lord mayor, with Fine Gael's Damian Boylan likely to be elected.

The current Lord Mayor, Fianna Fáil’s Fergal Dennehy, will pass on the chain to the newly-elected Lord Mayor, set to be councillor Boylan, while his party colleague Gary O’Brien will take over the role of deputy Lord Mayor from Margaret McDonnell of Fianna Fáil.

Sinn Féin have announced that they will nominate Fiona Kerins to the role of lord mayor and Michelle Gould as deputy, as a form of protest vote.

This will be the third election of a lord mayor since the most recent local elections, and each time an alternative candidate has been proposed by Sinn Féin.

In the wake of the 2024 local elections, a deal was reached between the nine Fianna Fáil, five Fine Gael, three Green and three Labour candidates to support each other in matters such as the annual council budget and the votes for mayor.

Dan Boyle of the Green party was lord mayor from 2024 to 2025, followed by Mr Dennehy for the last 12 months.

Following Mr Boylan’s stint in the role, Fianna Fáil are set to hold the position again with councillor Mary Rose Desmond serving a year as Lord Mayor, followed by Labour’s John Maher for the 12 months leading up to the next elections.

Ms Kerins said: “After the election two years ago, Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, Labour and the Green Party struck a cosy deal to suit themselves. It wasn't about improving things or providing better representation for people. It was simply a carve-up of power and positions.

“Passing the mayoral chain between themselves each year is the most visible symbol of that self-serving deal. It's wrong. My view is that the office of ardmhéara belongs to all the people of Cork.

“It's the office of Tomás MacCurtain and Terence MacSwiney. It shouldn't be used as part of a political party power grab.” 

She continued: “We said at the very first meeting of the new Council in 2024 that we would do everything to challenge this cosy deal. So, I will be true to that commitment.

“When my name goes forward tonight it goes forward to oppose this power carve-up and to champion real, inclusive local democracy where everyone's vote and voice matters. I am very proud and honoured that Sinn Féin is nominating me.

“The pact parties have the numbers. That is what their deal ensured but we are taking a stand for what is right.” 

Ms Gould added: “Sadly, the election of Ardmhéara tonight night is about passing the position amongst those who signed up to a deal two years ago.

“An alternative was possible. We put the d’Hondt model of sharing Council roles proportionally, based on party size, on the table.

“This would have ensured inclusion and respect for everyone's democratic mandate. This was knocked back in favour of a carve-up.” 

As well as the four Sinn Féin councillors, smaller parties and independents are not part of the deal and may also vote for Ms Kerins and Ms Gould as a protest vote, as has happened in previous years.

These include independents Kieran McCarthy, Paudie Dineen and Albert Deasy, Independent Ireland’s Noel O’Flynn, Social Democrats’ Niamh O’Connor, Solidarity – People Before Profit’s Brian McCarthy, the Workers Party’s Jerrica Struthers, who replaced veteran councillor Ted Tynan at the last meeting.

This is a possible 11 votes for the Sinn Féin candidates, compared to the 20 likely for Mr Boylan and Mr O’Brien.