By Michelle Crean

Fianna Fáil Councillor Niall Kelleher has been elected the new Mayor/Cathaoirleach of Killarney Municipal District (KMD).

MAYOR: Fianna Fáil's Niall Kelleher has been elected the new Mayor/Cathaoirleach of Killarney.

He was voted in during the Annual General Meeting of the KMD held in County Buildings today (Monday). 

Kelleher replaces Labour Cllr Marie Moloney who held the role for the past year for the Killarney Municipal District. Councillors also elected Cllr John O'Donoghue (Independent) as Deputy Mayor/Leas Cathaoirleach for the Killarney Municipal District.

In her outgoing speech, Cllr Moloney praised her Council colleagues, groups she worked with and her family for their support over the past year.

“It has been an absolute honour and privilege to have been elected Cathaoirleach of Killarney Municipal District and to act as mayor of a town I love so much," she said.

She added that she was proud of honouring two women during her term as mayor, Hannah Carey and Janie McCarthy, by unveiling plaques in the town.

She thanked the numerous organisations she has worked with; the 4th of July, Christmas in Killarney, St Patrick’s Day, Wander Wild, Rally of the Lakes, and groups such as the Soroptimists, the Rotary Club and Killarney Chamber.

“The respect that was shown to the office of mayor and to me personally was second to none. I want to say a sincere thanks to all the organisations I have worked with and participated with over the past year."

INCOMING MAYOR

Incoming mayor, Cllr Niall Kelleher, said that he had a number of key priorities for the year ahead including progressing works on the Killarney Bypass.

"I want to see work started and significant progress made during my 12 month term as mayor and the sooner the better," he said.

"I know that this is an aspiration shared by all my colleagues and indeed officials present. The message going out here today is "let's get the job done and let's get it done now."

Another of his ambitions, which he said he tabled as a motion last March, is to have the "magnificent" 12th century Annals of Inisfallen returned to Killarney "where they belong".

He said a renewed effort should be made to have the "priceless" Annals returned and he intends to set up a working group to liaise with the library in Oxford University where the Annals are currently housed.

"It would be an enormous privilege and economic boost to Killarney "even for the summer months".

"My promise to the people of Killarney - if it can be done, it will be done."

Litter is another issue he plans to focus on from introducing a coffee cup levy to an urgent focus on discarding of cigarette butts.

Looking forward for the year, he said that he fully intends to reintroduce the Mayor's Ball to raise "much needed" funds for local charities.

"I think it is a wonderful opportunity for us all and the community to gather together in a social setting to enjoy some laughs, get in a dance or two and support deserving causes.

"The only guarantee I will give you at this stage is that after two years of what we've been through, it certainly will not be a masked ball."

He added that he has six months left as his current position as President of Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce, but that his "absolute priority" will be to represent the people of Killarney "to the best of my ability".

Council colleagues congratulated him on his new role saying that his priorities are "ambitious" and "achievable" but that he has the experience to see them through.