Mayor of Galway City, Cllr Mike Cubbard, is seeking to abolish the term His Worship in the formal title of the honorary role.

He will put a motion before the Corporate Policy Group (CPG) to get rid of this part of the title, as he doesn’t agree with the formality of it. By doing so, he will be looking for the backing of the Chairs from each of the Strategic Policy Committees.

“It’s the one title I do not like; ‘His Worship,’ he says.

“If there was one thing I would do, it would be to get rid of it. It’s outdated. It hasn’t changed in decades, and I don’t know that it needs to be there. It’s quite awkward at public events.

“I’m going to bring it up to the CPG to try to get rid of it. It’s too formal. I’ve asked for it not to be used to introduce me at public events. Mayor of Galway, Mike Cubbard is enough for me. I have no airs and graces. I am who I am.”

At 39, Cllr Cubbard is officially the only person in Ireland to hold the office of Mayor three times before the age of forty, previously having the honour in 2019 and 2020.

However, he was not the youngest First Citizen of the city, having been pipped at the post for the title by FG’s Brian Walsh, in 2005.

“A historian rang me to tell me – and to hear it was not just Galway, but right across the country is special,” says Cllr Cubbard.

“To be Mayor three times before 40 is a bit surreal. If it gives one young person a chance to believe they can do it once before they’re 40 then I would say go for it. I just keep working away and I’ll probably appreciate it more in years to come.”

He credits his ability to get on with all sides, and all parties, while maintaining his stance as an Independent as the key to his success. He is particularly proud of the work he achieved as Mayor during the COVID pandemic.

“It was a unique time, I could have stepped back, but we adapted. We did things that were never done before. Fast forward five years on, I’ve learned to be more patient and to find a better balance. I understand things can’t be done overnight. I’m quite impatient as it is.”

It has not come without challenges, as he juggles a busy family life with his political commitments and work as a Fundraising and Community Events Coordinator at Croí.

“One of the biggest challenges, certainly at local level, is that the public assumes we are all full-time politicians, with two or three staff behind us. They assume it’s your only role and that you are very well paid. People don’t understand the difference between a Councillor, Senator, TD and Minister.”

The lack of office space and administration support for City Councillors is also a cause for concern.

“Councillors don’t have an office at City Hall. In 2025, this is a scandal. We can’t go into an office. We have to beg for space. It’s wrong. If I want to meet a constituent, they come to my home,” he says.

“The Mayor’s office is excellent and well-resourced in terms of a secretary and a driver. But Councillors have no administration supports.”

He has often spoken out about the personal difficulty of life in the public eye and argues that public representatives have become punchbags.

For him, there is little room for personal emotion in the political sphere, and this is an issue he wants to address.

“If you are in the public eye, you are a punchbag, no matter what,” he says.

“You are not allowed to have personal feelings or emotions as a public representative. I have chosen to put myself on a ballot paper, to stand before people and ask them for a job. I have been proudly picked with a massive vote. To receive the highest first preference vote in Galway city in the last local election is proof, hopefully, that I am doing my job well.

“In the past, I spoke about taking a step back from the role as Mayor for my own mental wellbeing, and to get my family out of the public eye.

“If I say that publicly, there is a certain cohort that would laugh at you. You are not allowed to have any emotion or feeling. That’s why I say we are fair game.”

Another lesson he has learned from his previous terms is to be less available online due to its toxic nature and the demands to be accessible 24/7.

He finds social media is all consuming and has hit out at those who have targeted his family in a negative way.

“While most people respect the role of local politician, some don’t,” he says.

“Some feel they own you and there are no boundaries. They can have a go at me, but some feel there is a right to have a go at your family, your home, your livelihood, your personal life, and I have spoken out against that. “

He believes that speaking out is important, especially to set an example for his three sons, Ryan (15) Adam (11) and Ben (9).

“I tell my three sons to stand up to bullies. It’s not just for me. Cllrs all over the country have been in touch with me over the years to thank me for speaking out. I am lucky my children are not online. But my wife, Karen, cousins, brothers and sisters do get upset. I have to put on a brave face because I chose this role.”

Having grown up in Camillaun Park on Galway city’s Westside to parents Paddy and Patricia, Mike Cubbard is proud of his roots.

His Galway lineage stretches back even further, with grandparents from the Claddagh and Connemara.

Because he faced backlash for what he describes as his working-class background, he is placing youth empowerment high on the Mayoral agenda.

“Some have queried what right I have to be Mayor, given where I am from, and they will say that openly,” he explains.

“I am very proud to be from the Claddagh, from Westside, and attending Claddagh National School. The biggest compliment I get is when people say, ‘you are one of our own.’

“But there was an element of ‘who does this guy think he is.’ If I don’t stand up for people in my local area, or other areas of Galway that are looked down on, who will? If no one stands up to the online trolling, if I don’t challenge that, young people won’t go into politics.

“I always say the young people of today are tomorrows’ leaders in business, politics and community. If we don’t protect them now, they will have no hope. It’s one thing I am very passionate about.

“I want to give young people a voice; they can be what they want, when they want, and let no one tell them any different.”

Two significant features of his upcoming term are plans for a youth-led council debate and to push for increased water safety measures.

As a child in school, he often felt his views went unheard. Now, as Mayor, he is determined to ensure that young people have a say in the city’s future.

His plan begins with Galway’s primary schools. By engaging younger children first, he hopes to give them a taste of how local democracy works.

He recently met with the Consul General of Antigua and together, they are planning a simultaneous livestream from the Council Chamber, with one pupil from each school taking their seat at the political table.

While youth engagement is a priority, public safety is also high on his agenda, particularly water safety.

He has already met with the new President of University of Galway, Professor David J Burn, with a view to making water safety presentations to students from September in conjunction with Gardaí.

“It’s about making sure that our young people know their voices matter, and that their safety matters too,” he concluded.

■ Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.

Pictured: Mayor of the City of Galway, Mike Cubbard: If you are in the public eye, you are a punchbag. Photo: Brian Harding.