Councillor Helen Ogbu has been elected as Mayor of the City of Galway.
She was chosen for the role at the Galway City Council AGM in City Hall, reports Breaking News.
Councillor Ogbu becomes the 72nd person to hold the honour of First Citizen of Galway City and is also the first African woman to be elected to the post.
Councillor Josie Forde has been elected Deputy Mayor, reports Breaking News.
As the Irish Examiner reports, Ms Ogbu was born in Nigeria, has lived in Ireland for 20 years and raised her child in Galway.
She has also fostered dozens of children, and her husband, Sunny Orji-Ogbu, was also a politician who was assassinated in Nigeria in 2010, reports Breaking News.
“It’s going to be amazing,” Ms Ogbu said. “The City of Tribes, for the first time [electing a black woman], that says a lot. The people of Galway have the opportunity to prove that, to do that.
“This is the time I need to do it,” reports Breaking News.
She said that while racism exists, it is not something she is witnessing at the doors, and questioned whether the online hate was coming from real people.
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