Michael Crowe (mayor)

Michael Crowe, Mayor of Galway 2010-2011.

A native of Bohermore and a member of the well known Crowe family who manage Crowes Bar, Crowe was first elected to Galway City Council in 2004 as an independent. He became a member of Fianna Fail in 2006. He was re-elected to the City Council in 2009, his brother Ollie was also successful in those elections. He is the party's first Mayor since the election of Val Hanley in 2002.

Crowe is Chairperson of the Galway City Transport Committee, and has among his concerns the Galway City Outer Bypass, which he hopes to see completed by the end of his term of office.

His proposal to introduce the teaching of Chinese in Irish schools has raised his profile nationally; he see great potential for trade with China in the future, and believes that primary and second level students should have the opportunity to learn Chinese, making Ireland an attractive location for Chinese businesses.

He narrowly failed election to the Dáil during the 2007 General Election, receiving almost five thousand first preference votes in Galway West and was 'last man standing'.

Crowe has been selected to be a candidate in the 2011 general election and is widely seen as FF's best chance of a second seat in this constitutency.