'I never take it for granted' - Mayor of Kilkenny City gives first address in role
Fianna Fáil’s Cllr Andrew McGuinness was elected Mayor of Kilkenny City for a fourth time on Friday
A visibly emotional Cllr Andrew McGuinness vowed not to take his role as mayor ‘for granted’ as he took up the mantle for a fourth time, replacing Cllr John Coonan.
Proposed by party colleague Cllr Joe Malone and seconded by Cllr David FitzGerald, the local councillor follows in the footsteps of his father and late grandfather as first citizen of the city.
“I want to thank my fellow councillors for their support and for allowing me to serve again as mayor,” the newly elected mayor said.
“It’s a huge honour for me, and even though this is my fourth time taking office as mayor, that honour never ever diminishes, and it's something I will never take for granted.
“I feel a great sense of gratitude and responsibility,” he added.
“Gratitude for the trust that has been placed in me once again, and responsibility because every time you're given the honour of serving as Mayor of Kilkenny, you're reminded of the people that served before you, you're reminded of the people that you represent, you're reminded how hard it is to get a seat here in the first place.
“You're also reminded that the role is never really about the person, it's about the chain and the people that it represents,” Cllr McGuinness continued.
“People often refer to my family's connection to public life, and I'm deeply proud of that history. I'm proud of my grandfather, I'm proud of my father, but the greatest lesson that I took from them was not about politics; it was about service,” he claimed.
“The understanding that if you're fortunate enough to be in a position to help people, then you should.
“Not because it's easy, not because it brings recognition, not because it's the right thing to do, just because it's the right thing to do,” the mayor explained.
“Local government is ultimately about people. It's about listening, it's about heading where you can, it's about remembering that behind every issue is a person.
“This office matters, and that is why I never take it for granted. As mayor, I want to continue championing everything that makes Kilkenny such a special place,” he remarked.
“Our culture is not an optional extra. It's part of who we are.
“It’s one of the reasons people visit Kilkenny, it’s one of the reasons people stay in Kilkenny.”