Fianna Fáil Cllr Uruemu Adejinmi has been elected as Mayor of Longford County Council, marking a series of firsts for the county, as she is the first migrant, first African and first black female to become Mayor.
Cllr Adejinmi assumed the chain of office from outgoing cathaoirleach Cllr Peggy Nolan at the local authority’s annual general meeting, describing it as a “dream come true” for her and her family.
The Fianna Fail councillor’s elevation to the top table of Longford’s Municipal District comes barely a year after she was co-opted onto its county council equivalent.
There are barriers to migrants becoming involved in politics, particularly in more rural areas, Ms Adejinmi said. The main barrier has been getting more migrants onto the electoral register.