Longford's first female mayor will be laid to rest today. Former Fine Gael councillor Maura Kilbride-Harkin passed away last week and is being remembered as a 'trailblazer' for women in local politics. Maura Kilbride-Harkin was first elected to the Granard electoral area in 1985 and continued to serve until 2009. In 1995, she became the county's first ever female mayor.
Maura was the only female representative elected to Longford County Council in 1985, and she managed to secure a seat in subsequent elections in 1991, 1999, and 2004. While she lost the elections of 2009 and 2014, she continued her deep involvement in local communities and dedicated her time to promoting Longford locally and nationally. Her funeral mass will take place at 1pm today in St. Mary's Church in Granard, with burial afterwards in Granardkille Cemetery.
