Tag Archives: election

CURRENTLY in seventh position, Noeleen Moran is reluctant to concede defeat. Speaking to the Champion she said the party is increasing in popularity. “We certainly grew our vote in this election, we hope we’re still in with a fighting chance, it’s far-out chance, but we’re hanging in there.” She said there was a good reception from the Clare public in recent weeks, for a party that is only starting to make the kind of gains here that have been seen in other areas. “We had a brilliant team, we were out in the worst of weather, we got a lot of positive responses, no hostility anywhere. There was an appetite for change. We can see that things have gone towards the independents and the government have been punished for their broken promises.”  

Former Ennis Chamber CEO, Rita McInerney has confirmed her intention to seek a place on the Clare Fianna Fáil ticket to contest the next general election. Ms McInerney, who took a one-year sabbatical from her Ennis Chamber post to complete a masters in politics at University of Limerick, is looking forward to seeking the support of cumman members ahead of the Fianna Fáil Dáil Convention in Clare. The Doonbeg shop owner is facing stiff opposition from a number of candidates, after a Clare Champion survey revealed eight out of the 12 local Fianna Fáil county councillors expressed a preference for running three candidates at the next election. It is expected that Fianna Fáil leader, Micheál Martin, and the party’s national constituency committee will select Clare as one of the battlegrounds for a female candidate, in an effort to meet the national 30% gender quota requirement. Fianna Fáil Deputy Timmy Dooley said he will be putting his name forward for re-election …

THIS year, for the first time since the 1970s, Sinn Féin won a seat on Clare County Council [Mike McKee in the Shannon Municipal District]. In West Clare, Noeleen Moran won 1,023 number one votes, not enough to get her over the line but, certainly, an excellent performance. Local politics is hardly brimming with young women. She said voters told her they were glad to see someone with her background standing. “The vote that we received, it was probably better than we expected but the feedback we got was that it wasn’t just a vote for Sinn Féin, it was also a vote for the fact that I was a woman and a younger politician.” After finishing school in Lisdoonvarna, she went on to study Public and Social Policy and International Law and Human Rights. Unlike many of her generation, including her own siblings, she found work in Ireland. “I finished college last year and I worked in Boston Scientific …

In the Killaloe area, Joe Cooney of Fine Gael , as expected, will be comfortably elected, as will Independent Michael Begley.  Next home will be Tony O Brien, Fianna Fail and Pat Hayes of Fianna Fail. At this stage, it appears that outgoung Mayor of Clare Joe Arkins of Fine Gael will have a fight on his hands to retain his seat. Liam Wiley, Fianna Fail and Pat Burke of Fine Gael are among those who will be in contention for the remaining seats. [doptg id=”14″]

Coming up to 11.30a.m. at the count centre in Treacy’s West county Hotel, from tallies in the Ennis area, it would appear that James Breen, independent and Johnny Flynn, Fine Gael are on their way to taking seats. Also looking well at this stage are Tom Mc Namara, Fianna Fail, and Pat Daly, Fianna Fail. In the European elections, Brian Crowley, Fianna Fail, is cleaning up in Clare. [doptg id=”13″]

THE Labour Party and Sinn Féin have added further candidates to the upcoming local elections. The Labour Party have decided to run a second candidate, Dermot Hayes, in Ennis area. Seamus Ryan was already selected by the party. According to the party, they have been getting a positive response on the canvas and believe there is a good opportunity for two candidates to be elected to Clare County Council. Dermot Hayes comes from Kells, Corofin from a family of 13 children. He attended Ennis Community College and, as a mature student, studied Community Development in Galway and Maynooth Universities. He has lived in Ennis since 1974, is married to Marian and they have two teenage daughters. He worked in Belvedere Carpets, Studio Eyewear and Interton Electronics and more recently in a number of community and voluntary organisations, including The Disabled People of Clare, Clare Supported Employment and People With Disabilities in Ireland. Dermot has been unemployed on three occasions and …

FORMER Mayor of Clare, Patricia McCarthy has announced that she will not be contesting the Local Elections this May. Currently she is the only female elected representative on Clare County Council. Councillor McCarthy (Independent), who is also a former Mayor of Shannon, has been a member of Clare County Council since 1979 and has been represented on Shannon Town Council since it was first established in 1982. Other high profile local public representatives who have announced this week they will not be seeking re-election include former mayors of Clare and Ennis Town Council, Tommy Brennan and Peter Considine, as well as the current Mayor of Ennis, Mary Coote Ryan. Commenting on her decision, Mrs McCarthy said, “I feel the time is now right for me to step away from politics. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as a representative for the Shannon Electoral Area and indeed, for County Clare during my term as Mayor in 2007-2008.  “I want to thank the …

A PHOTOGRAPH by John Kelly of  holed  leather shoes worn out by  Councillor Cathal Crowe canvassing before the 2004 Local Elections has  ended up in a civics textbook, which is currently on the Junior Certificate syllabus. Councillor Crowe’s old shoes also form part of a display depicting Clare’s political history at the County Museum in Ennis. Shortly after becoming the youngest councillor in the country to secure a seat on Clare County Council in June 2004, the 21- year-old Fianna Fáil Councillor was captured by Clare Champion photographer John Kelly making the “V” victory sign through the worn out sole of his shoes. A few months earlier, the University of Limerick student, who was more used to trainers than leather shoes, made the short trip into Limerick City where he bought the famous shoes from his future wife, who had a summer shop in a well know city shoe shop at the time. With the benefit of hindsight, Councillor Crowe …