The big surprise in Limerick city was the election at the head of the poll in Ward 3 of Michael Kelly (Ind), who figured some time ago as the "hard man" in an RTE feature. His mother, Mrs Rita Kelly, at a press conference in 1985, said she was proud of her son because "he had overcome social disadvantages and had left crime behind him". He has replaced the late Jim Kemmy as the alderman in the ward. He attributed his victory to "the considerable work I have done for young people and the elderly and general community work in the region".
The poll-topper in Limerick was Mr Peter Power (FF), a young solicitor, who is now the alderman in Ward 1.
Fianna Fail obtained 27.7 per cent of the vote; Fine Gael 26.24; Labour 18.10; Independents 19.34; Sinn Fein 0.80; Greens 0.32; Natural Law Party 0.21. Fianna Fail gained five seats; Fine Gael one; Labour Party lost two; Independents gained two and the PDs, who had three seats, have no representative on the new council. Former mayors Kieran O'Hanlon and Richard Saddlier, who resigned from the PDs and joined Fianna Fail, were re-elected. The other PD member, John Quinn, retired from politics.