Bradley Bytes – A sort of political column by Dara Bradley

The cheer of the Mayor’s Christmas party evaporated quickly for one city councillor last week – when she slipped on ice afterwards in the City Council car park.

Spare a thought this festive season for Fianna Fáil newcomer, Councillor Josie Forde, who required surgery this week, after suffering painful injuries in the fall at College Road.

Josie, following the adjourned Council Budget meeting on Monday week, joined colleagues for Mayor Peter Keane’s Christmas dinner in the Hardiman Hotel, Eyre Square.

She wasn’t drinking, left her car in the Council car park, and was to drive home afterwards. But it’s understood when she arrived back to her car after the bash, the underfoot conditions at City Hall had deteriorated on this icy night – Josie slipped and damaged her foot.

Colleagues said she had suffered broken bones in two places on her foot and leg, which required steel plates to be inserted during surgery.

Mother-of-two Josie will be out of action for several weeks, with her leg in a cast, while her body recuperates from the ordeal.

“My heart goes out to her,” said Fianna Fáil colleague, Councillor Alan Cheevers, while her Fine Gael cousin, Councillor Shane Forde wished her “all the best” in her recovery. And so say all of us.

Meanwhile, a former Local Election candidate in Josie’s electoral area of Galway City Central, Sharon Nolan, was also in UHG’s Emergency Department last week after taking a tumble, too.

Soc Dem Nolan –  aka drag king Viktor Complex – fell and broke an ankle shortly after performing a drag act mimicking Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris.

Sharon – prominent doing the Galway West tallies at the recent General Election – told followers on Twitter that they were still in full Simon Harris drag costume when they landed at ED.

“Honestly it was a great icebreaker to have with the staff when I was in the trauma bay, getting my cast and popping in and out for scans,” joked Viktor Complex.

Pictured: Councillor Josie Forde (FF) pictured here with her cousin, Councillor Shane Forde (FG), slipped on ice in the City Council car park and injured her leg, after the Mayor’s Christmas dinner last Monday week.