Bridie O'Flaherty (27 October 1917 – 12 January 2006) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who left that party in 1986 to become a founder-member of the Progressive Democrats.
She met and married Larry O'Flaherty of Ennis, and had issue John, Mary, Della, Angela, Betty, Joe, Terry (herself a future Mayor), Tony, Claire and Trudy.
[citation needed] She became a well-known businesswoman, opening a canteen on the city's Fairgreen for farmers and dealers.
[citation needed] Approached by Bobby Molloy to run in the 1964 elections, she failed to secure a seat by thirteen votes, but succeeded in 1969, and became Mayor in 1980 and 1985.
Her achievements as Mayor included signing the official charter twinning Galway and Seattle, been guest of honor at the Evacuation Day Saint Patrick's Day Parade in 1981 in South Boston and in 1986 in Memphis, Tennessee, and representing Galway during visits to L'Orient, Amsterdam, and Jerusalem.