Strangford - MICKEY COOGAN

Mickey Coogan is a 42 year old married father of three who lives in Ballynahinch.

He is a founder member of the Betsy Gray Sinn Féin Cumann and was elected to Down District Council in May 2005. In the

past five years he has held several key positions on Council, including Chairperson of the Policy and Resources Committee, the Culture and Economic Development Committee, the Health Committee and the Recreation and Community Services’ Committee.

Mickey has also sat on various other council committees and has represented Down Council on several outside statutory bodies such as the SEELB, the Down District Policing Partnership, the Down Community Safety Partnership, Citizens Advice, East Border Region Committee and the Down Rural Area Partnership.

Mickey is currently the Chairperson of the Recreation and Community Services committee and over the past year has worked to progress a range of funding applications for a velodrome and a new leisure centre to be sited in Downpatrick.

The Sports Council have accepted this bid despite strong competition from Belfast and Newry, which illustrates what strong local representation can achieve.

Mickey has worked on providing new leisure centres in Ballynahinch, Saintfield and Newcastle, and throughout the year he has engaged with a wide range of local sporting groups and other stakeholders in a bid to secure additional funding to enhance recreational amenities to the area.