Hildegarde Naughton is a Fine Gael

Fine Gael

Fine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000...

 councillor and current Mayor of Galway

Mayor of Galway

The office of Mayor of Galway is an honorific title used by the of Galway City Council. The Council has jurisdiction throughout its administrative area which is the city of Galway – the largest city in the province of Connacht, in the Republic of Ireland. The office was originally established by a...

 for 2011–12 in Ireland

Republic of Ireland

Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...

. First elected to Galway City Council in June 2009, Naughton is the only daughter of Marguerite and P.J. Naughton of Oranmore

Oranmore

Oranmore is a village in County Galway on the outskirts of Galway city in Ireland. With its major housing developments, Oranmore is rapidly becoming a part of Galway's commuter or suburban belt...

. She is by profession a primary school teacher, working at St. Patrick's Boys School in the city.

Naughton is a member of the boards of the Galway City VEC, the Transport Strategic Policy Committee on Galway City Council

Galway City Council

Galway City Council is the local authority for the city of Galway, Ireland. Previously Galway Corporation, it was founded in 1485 by The Tribes of Galway via a Charter of Mayoralty granted to the town in December 1484 by King Richard III. The first Mayor of Galway was Peirce Lynch...

, and a Director on Galway City Partnership Board.

A classically trained soprano

Soprano

A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...

, she won the AIMS Best Actress award for her role as Eliza Doolittle

Eliza Doolittle

Eliza Sophie Caird , better known by her stage name Eliza Doolittle, is an English singer–songwriter from London, who signed to the Parlophone record label in October 2008. Her debut self-titled album, Eliza Doolittle was released on 12 July 2010, where it debuted at number 3 in the UK...

 in the Galway Patrician Musical Society's production of My Fair Lady

My Fair Lady

My Fair Lady is a musical based upon George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion and with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe...

. She speaks fluent French, and was co-ordinator of the 2007 Telethon People in Need Campaign for Galway City and County, which raised over €300,000 for local charities.

She caused controversy in 2011 when she used her casting vote as mayor to deny David Norris the right to address Galway City Council during his campaign to get a nomination for the 2011 Irish presidential election. She later claimed it was a "misunderstanding".

External links

• http://www.votefinegael.com/candidate/index.asp?name=hildegardenaughton
• http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0630/1224299792961.html
• http://www.galwaynews.ie/20227-new-mayor-wants-more-achievable-vision-city