Sinn Féin's Oliver McMullan becomes new Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council

Sinn Féin Councillor Oliver McMullan has been appointed as the new Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.

The Deputy Mayor for the year ahead has been confirmed as Alliance and Causeway DEA Elected Member, Alderman Richard Stewart.

The new appointments were announced at this evening’s Annual Council Meeting, held in Cloonavin. In his opening mayoral address, Cllr McMullan said he “was extremely pleased” to take on the role of Mayor, adding that he: “very much looked forward to working with Alderman Stewart.”

The Glens DEA representative Councillor McMullan takes over the chain of office from party colleague Cllr McQuillan.

He said: “As the first Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens representing The Glens I am extremely proud and privileged to be selected as Mayor by the party, thank you to my colleagues for trusting me with this position and thank you to my wife Sinéad and my family for their support.

“I take on the role of Mayor with extreme pride and hope to build upon the work of Cllr McQuillan and Cllr Stirling as I progress through my term.

“I look forward to showcasing The Glens alongside our Council area as a whole and I will continue to support all of our residents from community groups, social enterprises, volunteers and everyone in between whose work goes on quietly in the background for all of us here in Causeway Coast and Glens. 

“As Mayor I will do my utmost to ensure our Council area is shown in its best light and that we support and also thank everyone who makes this a wonderful and beautiful place to live.”

Deputy Mayor Alderman Richard Stewart echoed the Mayor’s sentiments saying: “Firstly I would like to congratulate our new Mayor Cllr Mc Mullan who I look forward to working closely with.

“To be entrusted with this position is a privilege I do not take lightly. Representing such a diverse, vibrant, and resilient Borough is both humbling and inspiring. It is a role that comes with responsibility, and I promise to carry it out with integrity, openness, and a genuine desire to serve all who call this place home.

“On a personal note, it is not lost on me that I am the first openly gay person to hold this post in our Council’s history.

“While I take pride in this milestone, I also recognise it as part of a wider journey—a journey towards greater inclusion, understanding, and acceptance. I hope my appointment sends a positive message to those who have ever felt unseen or unheard: that there is a place for everyone in public life, and that diversity strengthens, not divides, our communities.

“As I look ahead to the year to come, my aspirations are clear. What matters most to me is getting out into our towns, villages, and rural communities across this beautiful Borough —meeting residents, listening to their concerns, supporting local groups and organisations, and championing the incredible work already happening on the ground.”