DUP woman '˜honoured' to be mayor of Derry and Strabane

Speaking following her election at the Council’s AGM in the Guildhall on Monday night, Mayor McClintock said she was deeply honoured to be chosen as first citizen of the city and district.

Her deputy will be Councillor Jim McKeever, of the SDLP.

Mayor McClintock paid tribute to the outgoing mayor and deputy mayor and said she was looking forward to a busy and exciting year ahead.

“During this incoming year, I will try to do my best to represent this entire council district and to serve the people of Londonderry, Strabane and the rural community,” she said.

“If my term of office is anywhere near as busy as the last mayor’s, I will certainly be kept fully occupied. I hope that I will have the energy and vitality that Mayor Elisha McCallion [Sinn Fein] has exhibited.”

The theme of Mayor McClintock’s Mayoral year is “Making a Difference” and she intends to continue the “good work being done to deliver strong local government and to create a sustainable, vibrant and harmonious community”.

She said a key priority for her would be job creation and expansion of the university sector in Londonderry.

The new mayor said she is hugely excited about the challenges that lie ahead.

“It will be an honour to serve as your mayor in this very special centenary year of 2016. Within this council area we have already marked some of the events of 1916.

“I am absolutely delighted to be mayor of this city and district as we move towards marking the events related to the Battle of the Somme as we mark the massive and shocking loss sustained during one of the bloodiest battles of any war before or since.”

Hilary McClintock has been married to Billy for 40 years. They have two daughters and three grandchildren.

She has lived in Drumahoe for almost 30 years where she is an active member of Drumahoe Community Association.

She has spent much of her working life in the playgroup sector, in both Strathfoyle and Gobnascale, as well as working with children with special needs at Belmont House School.

Hilary attends Waterside Presbyterian Church where she is the only female elder and is also the Church Treasurer. She retired from her role within the Boys Brigade after 37 years.

She was selected by the DUP to stand for election in 2014.

Announcing details of her chosen mayoral charities, Mayor McClintock said Action Cancer NI and Tearfund were both very close to her heart.

“Having lost my own two sisters to cancer I was very keen to support a charity working in this field and the work of Action Cancer is well known as is the familiar and prominent sight of the Action Cancer Big Bus.” she said.

“We are a community that demonstrates compassion for others and I am delighted to be able to support Tearfund and the work they do to provide a quick response worldwide when disasters happen and then continue to alleviate poverty long-term by giving people the tools to help themselves.”