Kilrush businesses on agenda for new mayor

INDEPENDENT town councillor Mairéad O’Brien was elected Mayor of Kilrush at last Friday’s AGM in the town hall. Councillor O’Brien succeeds Councillor Ian Lynch. The new deputy mayor is independent Councillor Paul Moroney.

A large crowd attended the AGM to witness the election of the new mayor, who was proposed by outgoing mayor Councillor Lynch and seconded by Councillor Moroney.
The deputy mayor was proposed by Councillor Marian McMahon Jones and seconded by Councillor Tom Prendeville, who noted that both Councillors Moroney and Lynch are past pupils of his.
Councillor O’Brien is married to Stephen O’Brien and they have two children, David and Andrew. She is an employee of Queally’s SuperValu in Kilrush and moved with her family to the town from Tarbert at the age of 12. Councillor O’Brien received her primary school education in Tarbert and was educated at secondary level at the Convent of Mercy in Kilrush.
In her opening address as town mayor, Councillor O’Brien told the meeting she was “overawed and humbled at becoming the first citizen of Kilrush”.
She also joked that her maiden speech would not rival Councillor Lynch’s first speech as mayor in June 2011, which was rather lengthy.
“I won’t do what Councillor Lynch did last year. We won’t be here until midnight,” she told a relieved attendance.
The new mayor said among her aims in the year ahead is to progress the development of amenities at the Vandeleur Walled Gardens and to help install a museum there.
She added that securing funding for the proposed sports complex on the Cooraclare Road is also a priority, while Councillor O’Brien stated Kilrush badly needs a hotel and a cinema.
She also said she is determined to help business in Kilrush in any way she can in her role as mayor.
“I’m looking forward to working closely with Kilrush Chamber of Commerce during the year to try and move things forward business-wise in the town,” Councillor O’Brien stated.
On a boarder note, she said as mayor she “aspires to helping create a greater sense of community.”
Councillor Liam Williams, who served as town mayor two years ago, described Councillor O’Brien as “a great people’s person”.
With the council entering its final two years before the 2014 local elections, the meeting reflected on the possibility that some town councils may become defunct as a result of further cutbacks in local government funding.
“This is a lean and efficient council,” Councillor Tom Prendeville commented, “but we have been on a life support machine for a long time. There is a funding deficit there”.