A former Co Donegal councillor who became the youngest-ever mayor of Letterkenny has died at the age of 41 following a battle with cancer.
Damien Blake was elected to Letterkenny Town Council as a Fianna Fái candidate in June 2004, and served as mayor the following year while aged just 22.
A former pupil of St Eunan’s College in Letterkenny, he went on to earn a business degree at the Magee campus of Ulster University in Derry.
During his time in local politics, Mr Blake also served as chair of the Letterkenny Joint Policing Committee.
He also worked as a digital media director and a part-time postgraduate researcher at Letterkenny Institute of Technology.
Mr Blake also worked for a period with tech giant Google in Dublin.
In a statement posted to social media, St Eunan's College said Mr Blake had "always been a great friend" to the school.
His mother, Denise Blake, said her "precious son" had "passed away peacefully in Donegal Hospice" on Monday.
A funeral mass will be held for Mr Blake at the Church of Mary Immaculate in Stranorlar on Friday , before burial at Drumboe Cemetery.
