Tag Archives: le14

It was touch and go for sitting Councillor Pat Burke (FG) all day as early tallies indicated he could have been in trouble, but all three of the last seats in the Killaloe Electoral Area were filled together just before 1am. Tony O’Brien (FF), Pat Burke (FG) and newcomer Alan O’Callaghan (FF) all came in with seats following the distribution of eliminated candidate Liam Wiley’s (FF) votes. Councillor Burke said he was much happier coming to the count centre on Saturday night after early tallies proved to have been out by approximately a hundred votes. He said he is delighted to be returning to the council chamber for a new five year term. The Whitegate man added that he was disappointed with the Fine Gael performance after Clare’s outgoing mayor Joe Arkins (FG) lost his seat. However he said he was happy for his party colleague Joe Cooney who has topped the poll once more.

Outgoing Clare County Councillor, Michael Begley became the third member of the local authority to secure re-election at around 11.10 pm with 1,799 votes. The Independent Councillor admitted the loss of 320 from nearby Parteen concentrated his mind and his supporters to get those votes back. Acknowledging the lack of competition from another Clonlara candidate was a big help in his re-election bid, he identified three pools of votes to secure some additional votes. These included votes left behind by outgoing Councillor Pascal Fitzgerald and Councillor Cathal Crowe, who moved from Killaloe to the Shannon Municipal District and the decision of former Fine Gael Councillor, John McInerney not to re-enter the race. While all these votes were party votes, he managed to get enough of them to eventually secure his re-election. His re-election bid was also helped by the fact he was the only independent candidate out of the starting line-up of ten. He pointed out there was no comparable …

DEFEATED Ennis Fine Gael candidate said that he was taken aback at his ninth count elimination yet he remained philosophical, suggesting that there was more to life than winning or losing elections. “It came as a surprise but that’s life, that’s politics. I wouldn’t say I’m disappointed. These things happen in life and you just get on with it. There’s always another day. I’m a very positive person in life. I have my health and I have my family and what more do I need?,” he said in the aftermath of confirmation that his chances of winning a seat were dashed. However he said that this defeat may not be his last election campaign. “I’d rule nothing out. I haven’t fully analysed it yet. In time I will. That’s the result and I accept it. For the last five years I’ve worked at it and what more can I say. I’d like to thank my supporters, the people who voted …

FÍS Nua candidate Niamh O’Brien has told The Clare Champion that she felt obliged to seek a partial recount after her elimination from the Killaloe Electoral Area on the fourth count. The first-time candidate was just six votes behind Liam Wiley (FF) when she was eliminated. “Because there’s only six votes in it, why not? I would bow out gracefully but if it’s worth fighting for and I’ll stay here for another while and see how it goes,” the O’Callaghan’s Mills native said before her elimination was confirmed after the partial recount. “It’s not too many times that I say this but I’m really proud of myself. I’m so honoured that so many people thought so much of me to put me this far. I have to thank them and I have to apologise because I was so thin on the ground and I didn’t get to everyone,” she added before paying tribute to her family. “My mother Bernie was …

Pat Hayes (FF) has been elected to Clare County Council netting 277 transfers from Joe Cooney’s (FG) surplus votes. The Maghera native was surrounded by his wife, children and extended family when the results were delivered by returning officer Michael McNamara. Delighted with the news that he will retain his council seat having netted a total of 1,767 votes, he said he looks forward to celebrating. He added that it was “disgraceful” that electoral area changes introduced for this election meant communities were effectively divided down the middle. He said during his new term he will be fighting to see the reversal of these boundary changes. Pat is now looking forward to representing the newly extended Killaloe Electoral Area, which encompasses a significant geographical area of North West Clare, but said he was hugely disappointed that those communities, such as Carron, were now split. Pat said he is now rooting for his Fianna Fáil colleagues Tony O’Brien, Alan O’Callaghan and …