Councils across Northern Ireland have appointed new mayors for the last year as part of the four-year mandate.
You can use our map below to see the new mayor in your council area, and we will go through each council and their new leadership.
Antrim and Newtownabbey
The first Sinn Fein mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council has been appointed.
Dunsilly councillor Henry Cushinan will serve as mayor with the DUP’s Alison Bennington, Glengormley DEA, as deputy mayor.
Cllr Cushinan said: “It is a great privilege to be elected as Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey. I look forward to engaging with the residents of our Borough, supporting local businesses, and helping our rural communities to thrive.”
Cllr Bennington said: “I look forward to using this role to champion grassroots community work across our Borough, supporting those driving positive change from the ground up.”
Ards and North Down
The mayor of Ards and North Down will be Ulster Unionist Party councillor Craig Blaney, and the deputy mayor will be James Cochrane from the Democratic Unionist Party.
This is the only council that does not have a mayor from either Sinn Fein or the DUP.
Cllr Blaney said: “I want my year as Mayor to champion enterprise, entrepreneurship and ambition across Ards and North Down, while supporting local businesses, encouraging young people and promoting the Borough as a place of opportunity and potential.”
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon
Sinn Féin councillor Mary O’Dowd is the new lord mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council.
Elected to represent the Lurgan District Electoral Area in May 2023, councillor O’Dowd described her appointment as “an incredible honour” and thanked her Sinn Féin colleagues for entrusting her with the highest civic office so early in her political career.
The DUP’s Alderman Lavelle McIlwrath, who represents the Portadown DEA, will be deputy lord mayor for this year.
Belfast City Council
Councillor Róis-Máire Donnelly is the new lord mayor of Belfast. The Sinn Fein councillor for Black Mountain.
“This is a huge year for Belfast, and I’m calling on all our citizens to get involved this summer and show what we can do and achieve together,” she said.
“Our city’s Irish language community is also flourishing, and, like all languages, it deserves to be protected and nurtured. I will showcase the good work being done to foster interest and connection, right across the city, and highlight how language can work as a force for good.”
Councillor Donnelly (30) said celebrating young people, particularly girls and young women, and promoting the Irish language would also be among her priorities for her term.
Alliance’s Hedley Abernethy, who represents the Ormiston DEA, is the new deputy lord mayor.
Causeway Coast and Glens
For the first time in Causeway Coast and Glens there is a woman holding both the mayor and deputy mayor position.
The DUP councillor Dawn Huggins is the new mayor. She said: “To be entrusted with this role by my colleagues in this chamber is both a privilege and a responsibility that I accept with humility and determination.”
Ulster Unionist Alderman Sandra Hunter will take up the deputy mayor role.
“Together let us serve our borough with pride, optimism and a shared sense of purpose,” she said.
Derry City and Strabane
Sinn Féin’s Grace Uí Niallais has been appointed mayor of Derry City and Strabane and SDLP councillor Catherine McDaid is deputy mayor.
The new mayor said: “I am an Irish republican and I will continue to advocate for a new Ireland and to make the case for a better way forward. At the same time, I recognise and respect that many of our citizens have different aspirations. I intend to be a Mayor for All.”
“Those who believe in the Union with Britain, those who cherish their British identity, those who see themselves as neither British nor Irish are all welcome here and all have the right to have their aspirations respected. We have much more to unite us than divide us and I am determined to work positively to build reconciliation, respect and prosperity in this society,” she added.
Fermanagh and Omagh
The new chair of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council is councillor Debbie Coyle of Sinn Féin, and the deputy mayor is Sinn Féin’s Stephen McCann.
This is the only council area to have a mayor and deputy mayor from the same party for the 2026/27 term.
Cllr Coyle said: “This role is deeply personal to me. My life experiences, including overcoming domestic abuse, have shaped my commitment to supporting others and ensuring that every voice is heard. No one should suffer in silence, and I am determined to help raise awareness and support those affected by gender-based violence.”
“This position is a real honour for me. Let’s all roll up our sleeves and make real changes together in the year ahead,” she added.
Lisburn and Castlereagh
DUP councillor Brian Higginson is the new mayor in Lisburn and Castlereagh and the deputy mayor is Alderman Aaron McIntyre from the Alliance Party.
Cllr Higginson said: “It is a great honour to be elected Mayor of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council. I am humbled by the confidence my colleagues have placed in me, and I will dedicate myself wholeheartedly to serving all the people of Lisburn and Castlereagh.
“I am especially proud to be the first councillor from Castlereagh South to hold the office of Mayor. The trust and support shown to me by the residents of Castlereagh South means a great deal,” he added.
Mid and East Antrim
Alderman Thomas Gordon from the DUP is the new mayor in Mid and East Antrim, with Ulster Unionist councillor Bethany Carson-Ferris serving as the new deputy mayor.
The Bannside councillor taking up the mayorship said: “I am deeply proud to have been appointed Mayor of Mid and East Antrim and grateful for the opportunity to serve the people of this Borough.”
“Mid and East Antrim is home to strong, welcoming and resilient communities and I look forward to representing residents, businesses, voluntary groups and organisations across Ballymena, Carrickfergus, Larne and our surrounding towns and villages,” he added.
Mid Ulster
Dungannon Sinn Féin councillor Deirdre Varsani is the new chair of Mid Ulster District Council, with Eva Cahoon from the DUP taking up the vice chair position.
Both councillors were first elected in 2023.
Newry, Mourne and Down
Councillor Glyn Hanna from the DUP is the first unionist to take up the position of chair of Newry, Mourne and Down District council. The SDLP’s Dore Finn will serve as deputy chairperson.
“I have lived and worked in the Mournes all my life, running my own business and valuing the importance of supporting local skills. My family has lived in this area for many generations, with a long connection to farming and fishing. That strong sense of place is what inspired me to stand for election to serve the people of the Mournes and the wider district,” Cllr Hanna said.
“As a councillor I firmly believe that councillors should work together to ensure the Council delivers for the people of this district and provide the best services possible.”
