The new Mayor of Sligo has predicted that the growth of his party, Sinn Fein, in this State is only beginning.
Alderman Sean McManus is the first Sinn Fein representative to be elected mayor in this State since 1967. The last Mayor was Mr Norbert "Nobby" Ferguson - also of Sligo.
Mr McManus said his election was indicative of the growth of Sinn Fein in recent years and of its "major potential" for the future. Pointing to the party's success support in the last local government elections, he said he expected that it would put in a very strong performance in the next general election.
Mr McManus (50) joined Sinn Fein in 1976, partly because of the effect of Bloody Sunday four years earlier. He was elected to the ardchomhairle in 1981 and was party chairman from 1984 to 1990.
Mr McManus was a member of Sinn Fein delegations which met the British Prime Minister, Mr Blair, during negotiations on the peace process.
Eight years ago Mr McManus's eldest son, Joseph (21), was killed while on IRA activity in Fermanagh. Speaking about this yesterday, he said that his son took the decision to get involved with the IRA because he believed it was the right thing to do at the time.
He always supported his two children in whatever they did, he said. His other son, Chris, sits on Sligo Borough Council.
Mr McManus polled well in the last European elections, receiving over 20,000 votes. He received 3,208 votes in the last general election - a tripling of his vote on the previous occasion.
Although he is seen as left wing, Mr McManus said yesterday he wanted to represent everyone in Sligo. One of his first tasks would be to organise a campaign to prevent Sligo being classified as a town, rather than a borough, under the new Local Government Bill. He said he would liaise with mayors of the other boroughs which are under a similar threat.
Mr McManus would like to see Sligo being developed as a regional growth centre and has called for a Government Department to be located there as part of the decentralisation programme.
A carpenter by trade, he is married to Ms Helen McGovern of Leitrim.
