John Moran, formerly Ireland’s Secretary General of the Department of Finance, has been elected as Limerick’s first directly-elected mayor. Known for his tenure under then Finance Minister Michael Noonan during Ireland’s severe recession, Moran was dubbed “Ireland’s Mr. Austerity.” He left the position in 2014 after helping guide the country through the aftermath of the banking crash.
Moran, who grew up in Limerick, is the first in his family to attend university. He studied law at University College Dublin and earned a master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He began his career as a lawyer on Wall Street before returning to Ireland, then later worked with Zurich Financial Services and the top Irish law firm McCann Fitzgerald.
In 2004, Moran’s career took a unique turn as he moved to Paris to study at Le Cordon Bleu culinary school and the Sorbonne University. His diverse career includes roles at Shannon Airport and the Limerick Tunnel, and he helped establish the Land Development Agency.
In 2022, Moran revealed he had battled bowel cancer, which was diagnosed after an intestinal blockage. His recovery inspired him to return to public service, culminating in his election as mayor of Limerick.4o