The Fianna Fail/Fine Gael alliance in Athlone today elected long time Fine Gael councillor John Dolan as the Mayor of Athlone for 2016/17.

John Dolan, who is a farmer from Fardrum, and lives in Ballinahowen village was first co-opted to Westmeath County Council in 2007, following Nicky McFadden (RIP) leaving to become a member of Seanad Eireann. He lost the council seat in the 2009 Local Elections, but was co-opted back in September 2012, following Joe Whelan stepping down from the council. Cllr. Dolan was re-elected to the County Council and Athlone Municipal District in the 2014 Local Elections.

Stepping down as Mayor of Athlone for 2015/16 was Cllr. Tom Farrell, who got a consolation prize by being elected Deputy Mayor for the coming year.

Cllr. Dolan’s first citizen position was proposed by Fianna Fail’s Cllr. Frankie Keena, and the seconder was the other Fianna Fail member on the council, Cllr. Aengus O’Rourke.

There are three other members of the municipal district, one Sinn Fein and two Independents and they didn’t put up a challenger to Cllr. Dolan, and all welcomed the new first citizen.

As said, Cllr. Farrell was elected Deputy Mayor, after also being proposed by FF’s Cllr. O’Rourke, and seconded by FF’s Cllr. Keena.

Fianna Fail and Fine Gael have been running the seven member alliance of the Athlone Municipal district since the 2014 Local Elections, writes David Flynn. Cllr. Keena and Cllr. Farrell have both being Mayors of Athlone, and Cllr. Aengus O’Rourke (FF) will be Mayor next year.