Posted online: Jun 16th, 2009

New Ballyshannon mayor Eugene Dolan drew a humorous comparison with Henry VIII when he was elected to office at Monday’s first meeting of the newly-elected town council.

He commenced his speech of thanks with the words: “Like King Henry VIII I’ll not keep you long.”

Cllr Dolan then went on to pledge that as Cathaoirleach for the next year he will be “honest, fair and straight.” He added: “I’ll take no messing.”

He said he looked forward to working with all the councillors for the betterment of the town and its people and he revealed that top of his personal agenda will be to seek urban status for the town.

He also intends to “look long and hard” at a situation in which residents of Lawn Park and Highfield do not have a vote in elections for the town council. “They have been deprived of the God-given right to vote”, he said and explained that nothing had come of a pledge by a former manager to rectify the situation in 2004.

Cllr Dolan, 53-year-old father of two and well-known coal merchant, was elected by a majority vote of five/four – all the Fine Gael members, including himself, voting for him.

He was proposed by cllr Brendan Travers who, in turn, was elected as Leas-Cathaoirleach.

Fianna Fail cllr Billy Grimes observed: “What has happened is not unexpected with Fine Gael holding a majority of five seats.”

All posts went to Fine Gael councillors. Phonsie Travers and Val Murray were elected as delegates to the Association of Municipal Authorities of Ireland, John Meehan is the delegate to the Donegal County Tourism Committee, Phonsie Travers is the delegate to the Donegal County Enterprise Board, John Meehan will attend meetings of the management board of Ballyshannon Leisure Centre, Eugene Dolan is the delegate to the board of the Erne Enterprise Development and he will also be delegate to the AGM of the Irish Public Bodies Mutual Insurance Co. Ltd.