Councillor Ciaran Brogan has been elected as Mayor of the Letterkenny-Milford Municipal District for the coming year.
The Letterkenny-based Fianna Fáil stalwart has been a councillor for 26 years, having been first elected to Letterkenny Urban District Council in 1999 and the County Council in 2004.
Cllr Brogan has served two terms as Mayor of Letterkenny from 2001-02 and 2006-07. He also served as Cathaoirleach of Donegal from 2015-16 and is the Fianna Fáil party whip.
“It’s a huge honour,” said Cllr Brogan, who was proudly joined for the occasion by his wife Lorraine, son Odhran, daughter Maoliosa and long-time friend Anthony Arthur (Pigeon) from his election team.
Cllr Brogan said it was also an honour to be elected Chairperson of the Regional Health Forum last year, adding “this one here is sweeter”.
“Everybody knows the local council is where your heart is and where everything happens,” he said.
Mayor Cllr Ciaran Brogan and Deputy Mayor Pauric McGarvey
Cllr Brogan told his fellow elected members that he values himself on mutual respect.
“We might not agree all the time and that’s fine too, it’s good to have a democracy where we can express our opinion,” he said.
“Mutual respect is something I hold very close and it’s important that whatever anyone’s opinion is, is heard.”
With “a lot of work on and a lot of work to do,” Cllr Brogan said he looked forward to working with all councillors and the executive over the year to come and maintaining the good working relationship.
Cllr Ciaran Brogan with his family – Odhran, Lorraine and Maoliosa
An emotional Cllr Brogan also paid tribute to the councillors who have passed away, saying, “it’s important to think of the ones no longer with us”.
Cllr Brogan accepted the chain of office from outgoing Mayor, Sinn Féin’s Gerry McMonagle, at today’s AGM in Milford.
Cllr Ciaran Brogan accepts the Mayoral Chain from outgoing Mayor Gerry McMonagle
In his final meeting as Mayor, Cllr McMonagle praised the MD as a “progressive MD with good ambition, vision and a good strategy over the last number of years. I think that will continue over this term of council. I’ve been pleased to lead that over the last 12 months. I would like to see more but we are moving in the right direction.”
Independent Councillor Pauric McGarvey was elected Deputy Mayor today, taking over the role held by Cllr Ciaran Brogan for the past year.
Fianna Fáil Councillors Donal Coyle, Donal ‘Mandy’ Kelly, Mayor Ciaran Brogan and Liam Blaney
