Gillian Coughlan was elected mayor of Cork in 2021 after a long career working with her local community and representing the people of Bandon in Bandon Town Council and later the people of Bandon Kinsale MD in Cork County Council. During her tenure as mayor, her priorities included supporting the people and businesses of Cork County through provisions of affordable housing schemes, climate adaptation and mitigation, and heritage work in the county. Her priorities also included working alongside Cork County in advancing digitalization and education programs such as those run through the Council’s Local Enterprise Offices and Library Services. She is now serving as a County Councillor in Cork.
