FINE GAEL councillor Derry Canty was yesterday elected Mayor of Cork County in succession to party colleague Cllr Noel Harrington, when he defeated Fianna Fáil nominee Cllr Alan Coleman by 26 votes to 11.
Mr Canty, who is from Ballincollig, received the backing of five Independents along with the support of all 21 members of Fine Gael present at yesterday’s meeting, while Mr Coleman received the backing of all 11 Fianna Fáil members present.
The seven members of the Labour Party on the 48-member county council abstained on the vote, as did newly elected Sinn Féin councillor Sandra McLellan from Youghal and newly elected Independent John Paul O’Shea from Lombardstown.
The members of Clare County Council yesterday elected only the second Fine Gael mayor in the history of the local authority with Shannon-based councillor Tony Mulcahy becoming mayor.
Mr Mulcahy was elected by the three main groups, Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Independents, after a powersharing agreement was struck between the groups.