A PENSIONER who turns 90 in July has been re-elected to Donegal County Council, retaining his record as Ireland's oldest councillor.
Ian McGarvey, an independent candidate, was first elected to the council in 2004.
He was mayor of Donegal at the age of 82 and last year was elected mayor of Letterkenny.
Mr McGarvey, who has campaigned on behalf of the aged, polled 805 first preference votes, taking the third and final seat in the Milford local electoral area on Sunday evening and edging out Fine Gael's Eimer Friel.
Speaking after his victory, he said: "It is some achievement to be standing here," joking that he was "looking froward to the next election".
A video of Mr McGarvey doing a celebratory dance to celebrate his re-election to the council in 2014 went viral on social media.
Mr McGarvey, who has lived in Ramelton for more than 50 years, has strong sporting links and captained Swilly Rovers football club to success in the FAI Junior Cup Final.
In March, the Donegal News reported how Mr McGarvey, a lifelong teetotaller, and his wife Marjorie had a vine and plaque dedicated to them in a German vineyard.
The couple were part of a delegation visiting Letterkenny's twin town of Rudolstadt for St Patrick's Day.
