"The Belfast Telegraph has an interview" Mick?

Any indication of the interviewer? Because it reads more like a PR statement.

On balance IMO Mayor O'hEara in office, as with Alex Maskey in Belfast, has been a credit to his party.

Good year by Mayor OhEara, who has set the bar high for the next Mayor. Hope they can build on his good work.

Peteb, what do you think an interview with an outgoing Mayor should be like?

I've asked the Tele for clarification, but it read like an interview to me! Having said that, it wouldn't be the first mistake I've made today!

By definition, DerryTerry, an 'interview' requires the utilization of questions - of which, in this article, there is no indication.

Mick

"it read like an interview to me!"

Hmmm.. to my, admittedly, jaundiced eye it still reads like a (possibly re-written) PR statement.

Whether its an interview or a PR piece is not the issue. How do people view Gerry OHara's year as mayor. IMO opinion he has played the role magnificently and has been a credit to Derry and to SF.

..but he could have done so much more for under 12s tennis in North Down!

I was at an event where both Gearoid O'hEara and Annie Courtney, formerly of the SDLP were in attendance. I can tell you that the mayor left a far bigger impression on me.

Derry has a bit of a tradition of mayors being surprisingly good. I don't think that many people of a nationalist persuasion expected Mildred Garfield to be like she was. Instead, she became one of the best mayors that I can remember. The SDLP lady who followed the year after definitely paled in comparison.

I was shocked that MG didn't get re-elected this time around.

I think that the Mayor of Derry should realise that their loyality lies with the city and not their party or their own personal beliefs. Good mayors such as Garfield and O'hEara seem to realise this.

Speaking as someone from the city. I have to say Gearoid O hEara has been the best mayor of Derry that I have ever known and set an extremely high standard for future mayors to follow. I wish him well and hope that some of the very positive initaitives that he undertook continue to bear fruit.

I expected Ms Garfield to be a lazy, orange......cartoon cat.

Fraggle,

Trés amusant!

Brendan, I couldn't have put it better myself.