The predominately unionist town of Larne, Co Antrim last night elected its first nationalist mayor.
SDLP councillor Danny O'Connor claimed his unanimous election showed seemingly immovable barriers can be broken across Northern Ireland.
He was voted in as part of an historic power-sharing deal with the three other main parties on Larne Borough Council.
Mr O'Connor's home in the seaside town has been attacked by loyalists in the past. But he hailed his electoral triumph as a step towards normality.
Mr O'Connor said: "It is now possible and acceptable for a Catholic with an open nationalist agenda to be elected to the highest office in Larne.
"A person's fundamental political outlook is no longer to be grounds for exclusion from the local decision-making process.
"No matter how we look at it, that is a breakthrough for decency and common sense.
"That took real courage on the part of members of this Council, and I must say I am surprised that so many ordinary people in the Borough are responding positively in a way that I believe would have been impossible just a few short years ago."
On the challenges ahead, he said: "Over the next 12 months I will be trying to build as many bridges as possible, seeking to unite the people of Larne.
"We made the headlines when things went wrong, now I hope we can make them for getting things right."
PA