Tag Archives: Fianna Fáil

    FORMER Clare County Council Chairman, P J Kelly has been described as a “West Clare warrior” following his sudden death in his sleep at home on Friday night. Fianna Fáil in Clare, communities in West Clare and family members of the late P J Kelly from Lissycasey have left reeling after his unexpected passing. Clare County Council Chairman, Councillor Alan O’Callaghan, who sat beside Mr Kelly in the council chamber for about ten years, said people in West Clare were “shocked” and “devastated” over the death of a “West Clare warrior”. On June 19, the Lissycasey horse enthusiast was one of three councillors in the country with 50 years of unbroken service on a local authority. The other two were Councillor Hilda Mary Kavanagh from Kilkenny and Councillor Declan Bree from Sligo. Opting not to contest the last Local Elections, his departure from the local authority brought the curtain down on his colourful political career, which saw him …

The gloves have finally come off ahead of the June 7 local election with a high-profile Fianna Fáil member yesterday accusing Sinn Féin of putting forward candidates who don’t have a “serious chance” just to have a candidate running in every area. Fianna Fáil director of elections for Clare, Gerry Reidy, said that while Tommy Guilfoyle (SF) and Donna McGettigan (SF) were strong candidates, he “wouldn’t be threatened” by the other candidates put forward by Sinn Féin. Responding to this suggestion, Sinn Féin’s director of elections for Clare, Finbarr MacGabhann, said that the party didn’t field candidates “for the craic”. He also said that it was Mr Reidy’s job to “come up with stories” about rival parties. Speaking to The Clare Champion yesterday, Mr Reidy said that Sinn Féin were fielding candidates just for the optics of it. “They have some good candidates in Clare and I think that they will make some gains, particularly in Ennis, but I’m not …

ENNIS councillors from across the political divide came together this week to support a call by Ennis Mayor Fianna Fáil’s Clare Colleran Molloy for maintenance and clean up works to the DeValera monument. While the town’s deputy mayor, Fine Gael’s Mary Howard who represented the council at a recent commemoration at the monument, has quipped a statue of Michael Collins could be added to the site near the courthouse. Speaking at a meeting of the Ennis Municipal District Councillor Colleran Molloy described the monument as “kind of sad looking” as she urged that the bronze statue of the former president be examined for maintenance and cleaning. She said that any works needed should be undertaken “as soon as possible”. Councillor Howard described the monument as “an integral part of our public realm” recalling how when she went to school the statue’s glasses regularly went missing. “It’s important we embrace our history and not be exclusive” she said adding with a …

CLARE people must be at the forefront of all decisions made in Clare County Council, according to the newest co-opted councillor. Councillor Tom O’Callaghan, who formally became a council member at a meeting this week, has identified housing, health, issues affecting trade and business as well as the rising cost of living as the key challenges that need to be tackled over the coming years. The chairman of the Independent Postmasters’ Group identified Clare’s tourism amenities, sport, Shannon International Airport, heritage, music and agriculture as some of the key positive aspects in the county. “Details in the new draft County Development Plan 2023 to 2028 and at municipal district level set out lofty objectives. I believe we have an important role in achieving those goals, working and weaving the plans of local communities and groups in with the overall strategic plans to secure the best outcome for Clare.” Mr O’Callaghan said he was extremely privileged to be co-opted onto the …

TOM O’Callaghan, set to become the county’s newest Fianna Fáil councillor, has vowed to do what he can to help the Clare community, recalling the support his own family received when struck by tragedy. The postmaster was chosen by Fianna Fáil party members at a selection convention in Hotel Woodstock on Sunday evening. He will fill the role on the Ennis Municipal District vacant after former councillor Mark Nestor left to join the priesthood. Mr O’Callaghan, who is from Kildysart but is based in Clarecastle, secured 48 votes at the convention and was declared victorious on the first count. He will be formally ratified as a member of the local authority at the December meeting of Clare County Council. He told The Clare Champion that on the night of the election, thoughts turned to his sister Yvonne who sadly lost her life 20 years ago in a horse-riding accident. “It was very devastating, a very tough time for my family. …

FOUR Fianna Fáil candidates have been selected for convention to see who will be co-opted onto Clare County Council and fill a vacant seat in the Ennis Municipal District. This follows the departure earlier this year of former Ennis Municipal District councillor Mark Nestor who announced he was leaving politics to join the priesthood. The Ennis Fianna Fáil Comhairle Ceantair have confirmed that Bernard Hanrahan, Amanda Major, Darragh McAllister and Tom O’Callaghan will be vying to fill the open seat on the local authority. The convention to determine who will take the place of Nestor is set to take place later this month. Clarecastle’s Bernard Hanrahan is no stranger to the chambers of Clare County Council and is a staunch member of the Fianna Fáil party having served as a councillor in the Ennis area for a decade from 1999 to 2009. Amanda Major, who is originally from Nigeria, has lived in Clare for 18 years becoming an Irish citizen …

TENSIONS between campaigners and political representatives have ratcheted up significantly this week, as the Oireachtas moves to finalise the Bill to underpin a new grant for those with defective blocks.  On Tuesday, Clare’s government TDs, Deputies Cathal Crowe and Joe Carey, voted in favour a proposal to allow just two hours to finalise the draft law. The move has angered local campaigners who had sought 80 amendments. Campaigners themselves, meanwhile, came in for criticism from some members of the local authority. The Clare Pyrite Action Group (CPAG) along with campaigners in Limerick, Mayo, Sligo and Donegal, challenged councillors to declare their support for the amendments. A poster was then circulated on social media with an X through the faces of those who had not responded by the deadline.  Councillor Gerry Flynn, one of two Clare councillors who didn’t respond, described the approach as “totally out of order”. “We are parish pump, we don’t sit at the Cabinet table,” he said. …

CLARE Deputy Cathal Crowe has been transferred to a new internal Fianna Fail committee on Northern Ireland from his initial appointment on a commission assessing the aims, ideology and objectives of the party. The FF press office statement comes after questions were raised by Clare Fianna Fáil members at a recent meeting about whether or not Deputy Crowe was appointed to the strategy committee. Last October, Deputy Crowe posted an announcement on social media about his appointment by the Taoiseach Micheál Martin to a new commission chaired by Kildare North Deputy James Lawless, which will examine Fianna Fail’s strategy over the coming years. The Meelick Deputy also confirmed this appointment in an interview with the Clare Champion at the time. A press release announcing the establishment of a new commission on the party’s aim and objectives on September 29 didn’t include Deputy Crowe as one of its new members. Deputy Crowe was, however, mentioned in a Fianna Fáil press release …