Mayor of Galway

The office of Mayor of Galway is an honorific title used by the of Galway City Council. The council has jurisdiction throughout its administrative area of the city of Galway which is the largest city in the province of Connacht, in Ireland. The incumbent, since June 2026, is Labour councillor, Helen Ogbu.

Election to the office The Mayor is elected to office annually by Councillors of Galway City Council from amongst its members. There is no popular vote. Up to 1841, Mayors were elected in August and took office in September. There was a strong tradition of festivities to mark this start of a new municipal year. Current practice is for the term of office to begin in June with the former Mayor presenting the Chain of Office to the incoming Mayor, thus formally inaugurating a new term. The process is repeated the following June, unless the same person is given a second consecutive term.

History of the office

Prior to the creation of the mayoralty, the town of Galway was ruled by a Provost or Sovereign who was appointed by the Earl of Ulster. After the murder of the 3rd Earl in June 1333, the town was under the control of successive members of the Clanricarde line of the House of Burke. This situation lasted until well into the 15th century. However, charters from Richard II (in 1396) and Edward IV (in 1464) gave the citizens of the town semi-independence from the Clanricardes.

The office of mayor established by a royal charter issued by Richard III in December 1484 at the solicitation of merchants from the city's leading families, known as the Tribes of Galway. Although it survived the turbulent 17th century, the corruption of the office led to its disestablishment in 1841. Galway became an urban district in 1899. In 1937 the city regained its corporation status and the office of Mayor was re-installed.

Under section 11 of the Local Government Act 2001, the role is symbolic: "Subject to this Act, royal charters and letters patent relating to local authorities shall continue to apply for ceremonial and related purposes in accordance with local civic tradition but shall otherwise cease to have effect". The Act states the chairman of the Council must be styled the Cathaoirleach and that "Any reference in any other enactment to the lord mayor, mayor, chairman, deputy lord mayor, deputy mayor or vice-chairman or cognate words shall, where the context so requires, be read as a reference to the Cathaoirleach or Leas-Chathaoirleach or other title standing for the time being." (section 31 (3)).

Officeholders Early leaders (pre-1485)

Year Name Office1270Thomas de LynchProvost1272–1275Stephen AnneryCollector of the Murage1272–1275Adam AlbusCollector of the Murage1278–1280Robert BayonCollector of the Murage1280William O'CiorovaneSovereign1306Cruchus DelapsFarmer of the New Customs1306Simon LongCollector of the Customs1306Thomas SageCollector of the Customs1306–1307Thomas DolfynCollector of the Customs1310Andrew Gerard of FlorenceKeeper of the Customs1312Nicholas Mor Lynch, the Black MarshallMarshal1353Stepehn PenriseProvost1353+Stepehn PenriseBailiff & Collector of the New Customs1375Bishop Stephen de ValleCollector of the Customs of the Port1376–1377Nicholas CalfDeputy Collector of the Customs of the Port1378Richard ScaredProvost?–1385Thomas AlwyneSeneschal and Receiver1434Edmund LynchSovereign1443Edmund LynchSovereign1443Robert LynchProvost1443–1444Henry Lynch,ditto. Robert Lynch,ditto. Thomas O'TyernayBailiff1445Thomas O'TyernayBailiff1448William Allen, alias DenProvost1460William Dubh Lynch fitz James1461William DevelinSovereign1462William Oge Allen, alias DenSovereign1476Thomas Lynch1483–1484William LynchSovereign1484–1485William LynchSovereign1484–1485John Lynch fitz EdmondProvost

"Tribes" period (1485–1654) From 1485, the title of Mayor of Galway was used. 15th century YearName1485–1486 Peirce Lynch fitz John1486–1487 Dominick Dubh Lynch fitz John1487–1488 John Blake fitz William1488–1489 Geoffrey Lynch1489–1490 John Lynch fitz John1490–1491 Robuck Lynch1491–1492 John Skerrett1492–1493 Thomas Lynch fitz Edmond1493–1494 James Lynch fitz Stephen1494–1495 John Lynch fitz Edmond1495–1496 Thomas Blake1496–1497 Walter Lynch fitz Robert1497–1498 Dominick Dubh Lynch fitz John1498–1499 Andrew Lynch1499–1500 James Lynch fitz Martin

16th century YearName1500–1501 Geoffrey Lynch1501–1502 Robuck Lynch1502–1504 Edmond Deane1504–1505 Stephen Lynch fitz Dominick Dubh1505–1506 Walter Lynch fitz Thomas1506–1507 Thomas Bodkin1507–1508 Arthur Lynch1508–1509 Stephen Lynch fitz Dominick Dubh1509–1510 Stephen Lynch fitz James1510–1511 James Lynch fitz Stephen1511–1512 James Lynch fitz Geoffrey1512–1513 James Lynch fitz Martin1513–1514 Walter Lynch fitz Thomas1514–1515 Stephen Lynch fitz Walter1515–1516 James Lynch fitz Stephen1516–1517 Stephen Lynch fitz James1517–1518 Stephen Lynch fitz Dominick Dubh1518–1519 John Bodkin fitz Richard1519–1520 Wylliam Martin1520–1522 Martin Font1522–1523 Stephen Lynch fitz Dominick Dubh1523–1524 Stephen Lynch fitz James1524–1525 Adam Font1525–1526 Wylliam Martin1526–1527 Rychard Martin1527–1528 William Morris1528–1529 John Lynch fitz Andrew1529–1530 Richard Gare Lynch1530–1531 John Óge Kirwan1531–1533 James Skerrett1533–1534 Richard Blake1534–1535 Thomas Kirwan1535–1537 Rychard Martin1537–1538 Martin Lynch fitz James1538–1539 Seán an tSalainn French1539–1540 Arthur Lynch fitz Andrew andArthur French fitz Geoffrey1540–1541 Thomas Lynch1541–1542 Dominick Lynch1542–1543 Henry Joyce1543–1544 Jonathan Lynch1544–1545 Edmund Lynch1545–1546 Thomas Blake1546–1547 Stephen Lynch fitz Arthur1547–1548 Thomas Kirwan1548–1549 Dominick Lynch fitz John1549–1550 Thomas Óge Martyn1550–1551 Richard Kirwan1551–1552 John Óge Lynch1552–1553 John Óge Lynch fitz Stephen1553–1554 Patrick Lynch1554–1555 Nicholas Lynch fitz Stephen1555–1556 Nicholas Blake1556–1557 William Skerrett1557–1558 James Óge Lynch1558–1559 Ambrose Lynch fitz Martin1559–1560 Thomas Blake1560–1561 Stephen Lynch fitz Arthur1561–1562 Nicholas Lynch fitz Stephen1562–1563 Thomas Blake1563–1564 Thomas Óge Martyn1564–1565 Nicholas Blake1565–1566 Peter French fitz Valentine1566–1567 James Kirwan1567–1568 Edmond Kirwan1568–1569 Dominick French1569–1570 Givane Font1570–1571 Denis Kirwan1571–1572 Robuck Lynch1572–1573 John Lynch1573–1574 Pierce Lynch fitz Oliver1574–1575 Andrew Browne andJames Kirwan1575–1576 Dominick Browne1576–1577 Peter French fitz John1577–1578 Pierce Lynch1578–1579 John Blake fitz Richard1579–1580 Martin French1580–1581 Dominick Lynch1581–1582 Peter Lynch fitz Marcus1582–1583 Robuck French fitz John1583–1584 Nicholas French1584–1585 Nicholas Lynch1585–1586 James Lynch fitz Arthur1586–1587 William Óge Martyn1587–1588 John Blake1588–1589 Andrew Morris1589–1590 Richard Browne1590–1591 James Lynch (fitz Ambrose)1591–1592 Ulick Lynch fitz Edmond1592–1593 Valentine French1593–1594 John Martin1594–1595 Rolande Skerrett1595–1596 Marcus Lynch fitz Nicholas1596–1597 Oliver Óge French1597–1598 Anthony Lynch fitz Marcus1598–1599 Nicholas Kirwan fitz Denis1599–1600 Michael Lynch

17th century YearName1600–1601 Francis Martin fitz Thomas1601–1602 Christopher Lynch fitz George1602–1603 James Riabhach Darcy andChristopher Lynch fitz George1603–1604 Marcus Lynch fitz Stephen1604–1605 Marcus French fitz John1605–1606 John Skerrett fitz William1606–1607 Edmond French fitz Robuck1607–1608 Richard Martin fitz William1608–1609 Stephen Kirwan1609–1610 Oliver Browne andUllick Lynch1610–1611 Richard Bodkin1611–1612 Sir Valentine Blake andRichard Martin fitz William1612–1613 Sir Thomas Rotheram1613–1614 Walter Martyn1614–1615 Nicholas Darcy1615–1617 Pierce Lynch fitz John Óge1617–1618 Francis French fitz Peter1618–1619 Nicholas Lynch fitz George1619–1620 James Darcy fitz James1620–1621 Andrew Lynch fitz John1621–1622 Robert Martin andRichard Martin fitz William1622–1623 Patrick Martin fitz Walter1623–1624 Marcus Óge French fitz Marcus1624–1625 Robert Blake fitz Walter1625–1626 Thomas Lynch fitz Nicholas1626–1627 James Lynch fitz Martin1627–1628 Sir Richard Blake fitz Richard1628–1629 John Lynch fitz Richard1629–1630 Nicholas Lynch fitz Jonathan1630–1631 Sir Valentine Blake1631–1632 George Martin fitz Walter1632–1633 Geoffrey Martin1633–1634 Patrick French1634–1635 Sir Dominick Browne1635–1636 Nicholas Mór Lynch fitz Marcus1636–1637 Anthony Lynch fitz James1637–1638 Sir Thomas Blake1638–1639 Sir Robuck Lynch1639–1640 John Bodkin fitz Dominick1640–1641 Francis Blake1641–1642 Walter Lynch fitz James1642–1643 Richard Óge Martyn1643–1644 Sir Valentine Blake1644–1645 James Darcy fitz Nicholas1645–1646 Edmond Kirwan fitz Patrick1646–1647 John Blake fitz Nicholas1647–1648 Walter Browne1648–1649 Sir Walter Blake1649–1650 Thomas Lynch fitz Marcus1650–1651 Oliver Óge French1651–1652 Richard Kirwan fitz Thomas1652–1653 Michael Lynch fitz Stephen1653–1654 Martine Lynch fitz Anthony1654 Tomás Lynch fitz Ambrose

Commonwealth and Restoration (1654–1691) YearName1654 Peter Stubbers1655 Humphrey Hurd1656 Paul Dodd1657 Gabriel King1658 Sir Charles Coote1659 John Mathews1660 John Morgan1661 John Eyre1662 Henry Greneway1663 Edward Eyre1664 John Morgan1665 John Spencer (till 1668)1669 John Peters1670 John May1671 Richard Ormsby1672 Gregory Constable (till 1673)1674 Theodore Russell (till 1685)1686 John Kirwan (fitz Stephen) (till 1687)1688 Dominick Browne (till 1689)1690 Alexandar McDonnell1691 Sir Henry Bellasyse

Penal era (1692–1761) YearName1692–1693 Thomas Revett1694–1695 Thomas Simcokes1696 Thomas Cartwright1697–1698 John Gerry1699 Thomas Andrews1700 Richard Browne1701–1702 Thomas Staunton1703 James Ribett Vigie1704–1705 John Eyre1707 Richard Wall1708 John Gibbs1709 Jarvis Hinds1710–1711 Edward Eyre1712–1713 Samuel Eyre1714–1714 Robert Blakeney1716 Robert Coates1717–1718 Mark Wall1719–1720 Samuel Simcockes1721–1722 William Hinde1723 James Ribett Vigie1724 George Gerry1725 George Staunton1726 Charles Gerry1727 Charles Revett1728 Richard Revett1729 John Gibbs1730 John Staunton1731 Walter Taylor1732 Charles Morgan1733 Geoffrey Cooke1734 John Bird1735 Dominick Burke1736 John Staunton1737 Dominick Burke1738 Richard FitzPatrick1739 Henry Ellis1740 Thomas Holland1741 Robert Cooke1742 John Disney1743 Thomas Shaw1744 George Purdon1745 John Mills1746 Croasdile Shaw1747 James O'Hara1748 James Disney1749 John Eyre1750 Francis Annesley1751 James Staunton1752 John Hamlin1753 Ambrose Poole1754 George Eyre Simcocks1755 John Shaw1756 Patrick Blake1757 Robert Cooke1758 Edward Sheilds1759 Croasdaile Shaw1760 Thomas French1761 Charles Revett

Daly regime (1762–1840) YearName1762–1763 Charles Daly1763–1764 Henry Ellis1764–1765 John Eyre1765–1766 James Daly1766–1767 Henry White1767–1768 John Gibson1768–1769 Thomas Taylor1769–1770 Denis Daly1770–1771 Anthony Daly1772–1773 Denis Daly1774 1775 Elias Tankervill1776 George Carter1777 James Shee1778 Denis Daly1799 Peter Daly1800 Hyacinth Daly1801 Peter Daly1802 Hyacinth Daly1803 Denis Bowes Daly1804 James Daly1805 Hyacinth Daly1806–1807 Denis Bowes Daly1808 Hyacinth Daly1809 Denis Bowes Daly1810 James Daly1811 Hyacinth Daly1812 Denis Bowes Daly1813–1816 Hyacinth Daly1817 Parnell Gale1818–1819 James Daly1820–1822 James Hardiman Burke1823–1824 James Daly1825–1829 James Hardiman Burke1830–1836 John Blake1836–1840 Edmond Blake

Mayoralty restored: Mayors since 1937 Galway Corporation was abolished in 1841 under the Municipal Corporations (Ireland) Act 1840. It became an urban district under the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898. It became a borough corporation in 1937.

20th century