Former mayor recalls parents' joy on her election as Carrick's First Citizen

Speaking after her mother Letty’s Donald’s death, on November 15, former DUP councillor Patricia Donald Johnston said that they had been delighted with her election.

Patricia said: “They were very proud of the fact that I had become mayor and said it was a great achievement as I had done it on my own merit.”

Mrs Donald Johnston was mayor from 2008 until 2010.

She noted that her mumhad been a “very family orientated” woman”.

A Shankill woman, who had worked as a book binder in Belfast, she moved to Carrick, after meeting her husband Arthur at a dance in the Rinkha in Islandmagee.

A regular church-goer, she had been a familiar face at Carrickfergus Methodist Church.

“She also loved her music and dancing and she was a Rod Stewart fan,” Patricia continued.

“After a football match, she was able to tell me who had won because she had been watching the scores on TV. “