A UNIVERSITY of Hull student who has become the youngest female mayor in the UK has admitted she faces a "tough year", but is determined to make the most of it.
Councillor Rosie Corrigan, who is in her final year studying British Politics and Legislative Studies, has become the Mayor of Selby at the age of 21.
With a monumental task ahead of her, Cllr Corrigan said she is ready for the challenge, balancing her mayoral roles with completing her final year at university.
She said: "It's going to be a tough year, but I am looking forward to it.
"I'm always happy if I keep busy, so this will definitely keep me on my toes.
"I'm in my final year of a four-year course at the University of Hull, so I will definitely be spending a lot of time on the train between Hull and Selby this year."
Before she became mayor, Cllr Corrigan held the role of deputy mayor for a year and she said she believes her roles in the Hull University Labour Club and the Humber Youth Parliament have given her good experience to use this year.
She said she plans to use the year to encourage youngsters to get involved in the community and change people's perceptions about the young people of Selby.
Cllr Corrigan said: "I want to use this role to promote the fact that if children put their minds to it, they can achieve great things.
"I have already been into primary schools, but I now want to go into the secondary schools to show young people it is possible to achieve what you want if you go and get it, as well as getting them involved in the community.
"I hope my induction as mayor proves that young people are actually OK and we have a lot to contribute to the community."
After joining the council in 2011 to represent Selby West, Cllr Corrigan quickly rose to become the Labour representative for her ward.
But her political career did not begin there. Her first triumph in politics came when she campaigned to put tuna paninis on the menu at her secondary school.
Cllr Corrigan said: "The reason I got interested in politics is embarrassing but after getting the paninis on the menu, I realised I enjoyed speaking up for people and addressing the issues they have.
"So I co-founded Selby Youth Council and got involved with Youth Parliaments and it was there I realised my beliefs swung towards Labour.
"My passion for politics is strong and I want to listen to people and do what I can to hopefully improve Selby."
Even though her mayoral role ends next May, Cllr Corrigan said she hopes this could be a start for a career in politics.
She said: "The end of my term as mayor coincides with graduating from university, so at the end of this I will, like most students, be out looking for a job.
"Hopefully this will be good for my CV and my previous experience working on different projects will get me a career doing what I love.
"I had work experience with Lord Prescott and he was really supportive and helpful, so I will use this experience to hopefully kick-start my political career."
Lord Prescott said Cllr Corrigan's appointment of mayor was the best political news he had heard in a long time.
He said: "This is fantastic news as Rosie has shown so much promise, especially when she was working as part of her student experience on my crime commissioner campaign.
"I am very impressed with her and I wish more young people would follow in her footsteps as Rosie is someone who is going somewhere.
"I wish her all the best in her role as mayor."
Obama band pen tribute
IRISH folk band The Corrigan Brothers have written a song in tribute to Miss Corrigan's appointment as Mayor of Selby.
The band, who have amassed more than ten million views on YouTube for their hit There's No One As Irish As Barack Obama, have recorded a song dedicated to their namesake.
Guitarist Brian Corrigan said: "We are very proud of Rosie Corrigan.
"It is great to see a Corrigan making such a name for herself.
"We wish her well and, hopefully, we will get the chance to play the song for Rosie and see if we are related to the Selby Corrigans."
The lyrics to the song include the lines: "So here's to the lady, the youngest girl mayor, "The pride of Selby, such political flair, "So watch this space, for the day when, "Rosie is moving in to Number Ten."• Follow us on Facebook and Twitter
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