Things went pretty much according to plan at Friday night’s Clare Fianna Fáil general election selection convention, with TD Timmy Dooley and GAA county board chairman, Michael McDonagh safely through.
A lot of delegates were of the opinion that a third candidate would help them sweep up more votes and get two seats back for Fianna Fáil after the election. The fourth seat has been keenly contested over the past number of elections, with small margins deciding the outcome.
With Councillor Clare Colleran Molloy the third placed convention candidate, ahead of Rita McInerney from Doonbeg, the likelihood is that she will be the one added to the ticket if party headquarters take on board the wishes of Clare Fianna Fáil.
Following Dr John Hillery’s strong performance in the last election, it is expected that Fianna Fáil supporters in West Clare will be making an all out effort to give their area a voice in the person of Michael McDonagh, a retired garda, from Miltown Malbay.
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.