Tag Archives: election

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 …