New mayors installed across Northern Ireland

A new lord mayor has been installed in Belfast, Róis-Máire Donnelly.

The 30-year-old Sinn Féin councillor from west Belfast has taken over from Tracy Kelly of the DUP (Democratic Unionist Party).

The two councillors shared a hug as the mayoral chain changed hands.

In her first speech as mayor, Donnelly said: "Diversity enriches our city … and I will champion that diversity."

She said she would reach out to everyone in the city "whether British, Irish or neither".

Donnelly is a fluent Irish speaker and her year in office will coincide with the all-Ireland music and dance festival, Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, taking place in Belfast.

In her final speech as mayor, before handing over to Donnelly, Kelly thanked the people of Belfast.

She said: "No matter where I went – north, south, east or west – I was always made to feel welcome."

She said the highlight of her 12 months in office was greeting King Charles and Queen Camilla on their recent visit to Belfast.

Hedley Abernethy, from the Alliance Party, has replaced Paul Doherty as deputy lord mayor.

Council elections will take place across Northern Ireland next year.

Other council areas also welcomed new mayors on Monday.

Councillor Henry Cushinan has been appointed as the first Sinn Féin mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, and Alison Bennington (DUP) is the deputy mayor.

Cushinan said: "Supporting economic development and environmental conservation of Lough Neagh and the surrounding communities will be central to my work as first citizen of the borough."

Bennington said: "I look forward to using this role to champion grassroots community work across our borough, supporting those driving positive change from the ground up."

Sinn Féin's Mary O'Dowd is the new lord mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council.

She said the role of first citizen was about "representing and delivering for every community across our borough, no matter their background".

"I want people to feel that their voices matter, that they are listened to, and that this council is delivering in their best interests every day," she added.

DUP councillor Lavelle McIlwrath has been appointed deputy.

He also works as a political assistant to assembly members Gareth Wilson and Jonathan Buckley, and before entering politics, he served in the police service for more than 30 years.

The DUP's Dawn Huggins is taking on the role of mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.

Huggins said: "As we look ahead to the incoming year, I believe there is real opportunity across the borough to strengthen our local economy and deliver meaningful progress for our communities."

The deputy mayor is Alderman Sandra Hunter, from the Ulster Unionist Party.

She said she was looking forward working with the mayor and councillors in the year ahead.

"Together let us serve our borough with pride, optimism and a shared sense of purpose," she added.

Sinn Féin councillor Grace Uí Niallais will serve as the new mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council after being appointed at a meeting on Monday.

The new mayor said she was "delighted, honoured and really looking forward to the year ahead".

"One of my main things I would like to focus on as a female is the end of violence against women and girls," Uí Niallais told BBC Radio Foyle .

"It's something that has been really at the forefront over the past few months and something that I really hope to push forward with a couple of different initiatives."

Uí Niallais said she was taking on the role at a "really exciting time" for the north west, pointing to the progression of the region's city deal and the upcoming 40th anniversary of the city's Halloween celebrations.

Uí Niallais will be supported by Social Democratic and Labour Party's (SDLP) councillor Catherine McDaid who was appointed deputy mayor during Monday's proceedings.

"I am really looking forward to the year ahead," McDaid said.

McDaid she would use the role to continue to "call out any violence against women and girls and try and do our hardest, work our hardest to eliminate it."

It is the second time since its formation in 2015 that the council has appointed both a female mayor and deputy mayor.

The DUP's Thomas Gordon has been named as the new mayor of Mid and East Antrim and the UUP's Bethany Carson-Ferris is deputy mayor.

The new mayor said: "Mid and East Antrim is home to strong, welcoming and resilient communities and I look forward to representing residents, businesses, voluntary groups and organisations across Ballymena, Carrickfergus, Larne and our surrounding towns and villages."

Carson-Ferris said this was an opportunity to meet people across the council's areas and "listen to what matters to them and support the work being done every day by our community groups, businesses, schools, charities and volunteers".

Councillor Glyn Hanna (DUP) has been appointed chairperson in Newry, Mourne and Down District Council.

Hanna said he was "proud and humbled" to serve as the first unionist chairperson of the council.

The new deputy chairperson is the SDLP's Doire Finn.

"Our district has an incredible creative and community spirit," she said. "From local artists and musicians to volunteers and grassroots organisations, there are so many people giving their time and talent, working tirelessly to make this place better every day.

She added that she wanted to use her role to "champion" those people.

Sinn Féin councillor Deirdre Varsani is the new chair of Mid Ulster District Council.

Speaking at the council meeting on Monday night, she said: "Mid Ulster is such a large geographical area, so I want to make sure that all the people right from Fivemiletown, Aughnacloy, Benburb, the Moy, Coalisland, Magherfagelt, Swatragh to Draperstown, this position belongs to you.

"We are so connected and we will face the challenges together."

DUP councillor Eva Cahoon was nominated as vice chair of the council.

"This position is a privilege, one that couldn't have happened without the people of Cookstown electing me in the first place," she said.

"I've loved every minute of being a councillor and I look forward to getting out and about as vice-chair."

Additional reporting from Eve Hughes, Ashleigh Swan and Niall McCracken