Tag Archives: John Hillery

A LEADING national Fianna Fáil strategist insists its controversial geographical directive, which effectively hinders Councillor Cathal Crowe from seeking a party ticket to contest the next general election at this Thursday’s Dáil Selection Convention, is “strategy and not personality driven”. There has been a major backlash from some angry FF delegates against the decision by the national Constituency Committee (CC) to issue a directive to select one candidate from East and West Clare at the Clare Fianna Fáil Dáil Selection Convention. A new ad-hoc group – including former FF director of elections in Clare, Michael Neylon – has called for the convention, scheduled for 670 delegates at the Hotel Woodstock in Ennis, to be postponed, amid claims it is “undemocratic” and “contrary to party rules”. Five candidates were initially nominated for the convention – sitting Deputy Timmy Dooley and Councillor Cathal Crowe in East Clare, as well as Rita McInerney, Dr John Hillery and Michael McDonagh, before the latter officially …

THE publication of a so-called fictitious internal Fianna Fáil poll with percentage ratings for five general election candidates in Clare was designed to hinder the election chances of some contestants. That’s the charge levelled by Clare GAA County Board chairman, Michael McDonagh, who issued a scathing attack on the unnamed source who provided information for a media report. Mr McDonagh, who will be one of the five general election candidates seeking a party nomination before the closing date of June 22, launched his broadside as senior party figures at local and national level insisted no official poll was completed on their behalf at this stage. The contents of the report prompted Mr McDonagh to vent his anger in a hard-hitting statement issued to The Clare Champion. “When an individual, well-placed and trusted Fianna Fáil media source gives an interview to the press about the results of an internal Fianna Fáil opinion poll that has never taken place, you know you …