Council marks 25th anniversary

FINGAL County Council celebrated a milestone on January 7 – its 25th year as a council.  

The inaugural meeting took place on this date in 1994 in Newbridge House, Donabate as the newly established county council got up and running.

It was here that councillors and key staff of the new council gathered for the first time. This meeting saw Cllr Sean Ryan (Lab) elected as the first Cathaoirleach of Fingal while the first County Manager was Davy Byrne.

A specially designed chain of office to be worn by the Cathaoirleach was commissioned on November 2, 1993, for Fingal County Council. 

Renowned goldsmith Patrick Flood designed a chain in nine-carat gold with a Shield showing four symbols associated with the new county – the Raven, Wheat, a Cross and a Boat. 

It was presented to the first Cathaoirleach, Sean Ryan, at the inaugural meeting.

Fingal County Council was created after the 1993 Local Government Act which abolished the previous local authority, Dublin County Council. Fingal took over the administrative duties from Dublin County Council of the area comprising the old county of Fingal. 

The areas falling under its authority included Swords, Balbriggan, Blanchardstown, Castleknock, Howth, Skerries, Donabate and Malahide. 

Dublin Airport also came under the authority of the council, providing a significant economic block for the area. 

Since that first meeting, Fingal has grown for the council and area. The population of the county in 1994 was close to 150,000 people, but according to the last Census in 2016, the population is close to 300,000 people.