John Moran (Mayor of Limerick) facts for kids

John Moran is an Irish politician who made history. He was elected as the first ever Mayor of Limerick by a direct public vote. This big election happened in June 2024. He officially started his role on June 21, 2024.

About John Moran

Early Life and Education

John Moran was born in Birmingham, England, around 1965 or 1966. He grew up on his family's farm in Patrickswell, which is in County Limerick, Ireland. Later, his family moved to Dooradoyle.

He went to St Paul's national school in Dooradoyle. After that, he attended CBS Sexton Street in Limerick city.

John continued his studies at University College Dublin, where he earned a law degree. He then went to the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in the United States. There, he earned a higher degree called a master's.

Career Before Mayor

After finishing his master's degree, John Moran became a lawyer. He worked in New York City on Wall Street for three years. Wall Street is a famous area known for finance and business.

In 1990, he came back to Ireland to get an Irish law qualification. Then, he returned to the United States to manage the New York office for a law firm called McCann Fitzgerald. Later, he worked as an investment banker for a company called Zurich Financial Services. An investment banker helps companies and governments manage their money.

In 2004, John moved to Paris, France. There, he started his own business, a juice bar.

From 2012 to 2014, John Moran held a very important job in the Irish government. He was the secretary-general of the Department of Finance. This means he was a top official helping to manage Ireland's money and economy. He was chosen for this role by the finance minister at the time, Michael Noonan.

Mayor of Limerick

On February 27, 2024, John Moran announced he would run for mayor. He decided to be an independent candidate. This meant he was not part of a specific political party.

The 2024 Limerick mayoral election was very special. It was the first time in Ireland that a city's head of local government was chosen directly by the people. This means citizens voted for their mayor, rather than the mayor being chosen by local councillors.

John launched his campaign in Newcastle West on April 8. The election took place on June 7. John Moran received about 22.9% of the first votes. After several rounds of counting, he was elected on the 12th count.

He officially became the Mayor of Limerick at a special ceremony. This event happened on June 21, 2024, at St Mary's Cathedral. This cathedral is the oldest building in Limerick.