Gerry Mullan is the new Mayor of Limavady

Limavady’s new first citizen, SDLP councillor Gerry Mullan, paid tribute to his former teacher and the first nationalist Mayor of Limavady in his opening address as Mayor.
Councillor Gerry Mullan who was elected the Mayor of Limavady for the forthcoming year at the council meeting on Monday night. INLV2213-367KDRCouncillor Gerry Mullan who was elected the Mayor of Limavady for the forthcoming year at the council meeting on Monday night. INLV2213-367KDR
Councillor Gerry Mullan who was elected the Mayor of Limavady for the forthcoming year at the council meeting on Monday night. INLV2213-367KDR

Councillor Mulan said that his old teacher Arthur Doherty would have been “touched” to learn that his old pupil had gone on to follow in his footsteps as another nationalist Mayor of Limavady. While fellow SDLP man Arthur Doherty was the first nationalist Mayor of Limavady, councillor Mullan said that “if history pans out the way we all think it will”, he will be the last. He said: “One could easily be forgiven for thinking that my journey to becoming ‘First Citizen’ of Limavady began on 7th May 2001 - the day that I was first elected to this Council as a public representative for Bellarena. Rather, it began many years previously in a tiny two-roomed, red-bricked primary school which boasted a few tables and chairs, a pot-bellied stove and a dry toilet out the back. The total staffing complement consisted of a husband and wife – Arthur and Mary Doherty – a couple who were to shape and influence so many aspects of my life which stayed with me ever since.”

Councillor Mullan continued: “In the context of tonight’s events, however, Arthur Doherty was the man who first introduced me to politics. He, himself was a former Councillor and the first Nationalist Mayor of Limavady. Unfortunately, both him and his wife Mary are no longer with us but I believe that if he were here tonight he would, in his own inimitable, thought-provoking way comment on the fact that he was the first Nationalist Mayor of Limavady and if history unfolds in the way that we all believe it will that I will be the last Nationalist Mayor and so, in essence, together we will have represented the ‘Alpha and the Omega’ – the first and the last as far as the SDLP Mayorships of Limavady is concerned. I believe that he would have been very touched by that and for that reason I wish to dedicate this incredible honour that has been bestowed on me tonight in their honour.”

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