Home » Tag Archives: Michael McDonagh

Tag Archives: Michael McDonagh

Prospect of five-way race for FF ticket

POLITICAL manoeuvring among Clare Fianna Fáil delegates stepped up a gear after five candidates were nominated to contest a coveted place on the party ticket for the next Dáil race. The Clare Fianna Fáil Dáil Selection Convention looks set to attract a very large attendance as hundreds of local delegates consider the selection of at least two Dáil candidates. Outgoing Deputy Timmy Dooley, former 2011 General Election candidate Dr John Hillery, Councillor Cathal Crowe, former Ennis Chamber chief executive officer Rita McInerney and former Clare County Board chairman, Michael “Malty” McDonagh have all been nominated to contest the selection convention. However, Mr McDonagh, who secured 4,726 first preferences votes in the 2016 General Election, has told The Clare Champion he will not be a candidate at convention. He may come under pressure to change his mind before the convention, which still has not been fixed. It is expected the party’s drive to win two seats at the next General Election …

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No Roche job losses in short term

There will be no job losses in Roche’s manufacturing facility in the short term, despite yesterday’s confirmation of its shock closure over a three-year period. A company spokesperson has confirmed it is business as usual in Roche and stated there will be no redundancies before June 2016. After that time, in the event of a reduction in production of its products in its Clarecastle plant, the spokesperson explained the company would take another look at employment levels at that stage. Managing Director, Roche Ireland Limited, Gerry Cahill acknowledged Thursday was a very difficult day for all of its employees. “Clarecastle has been a significant and successful manufacturing site since 1974 and the proposal for Roche to exit the site is in no way a reflection on the performance of the people or the site. “We will do our utmost to support our colleagues during this transition,” he said. Roche has informed the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and the IDA of …

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Colleran Molloy on FF ticket

Fianna Fáil’s National Constituencies Committee has confirmed the addition of Councillor Clare Colleran Molloy to the ticket for the General Election, now earmarked for next year. She will join Deputy Timmy Dooley and Michael McDonagh as part of the Fianna Fáil team in Clare. Chairman of the National Constituencies Committee, Deputy Michael Moynihan commented, “Fianna Fáil is confident we have an extremely strong ticket in Clare as part of our election preparations. Our candidates will be working together in the weeks and months ahead to maximise the party’s vote with a view to winning two seats in this important constituency.”

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Fianna Fáil meeting intrigue

CLARE Fianna Fáil election candidate Michael McDonagh has refused to say whether or not he has requested a special meeting of the party’s Comhairle Dáil Ceanntair. In the past week, there has been speculation that some senior party members were reluctant to endorse Mr McDonagh’s candidature. It has also been claimed that at a meeting in Dublin last week, senior party members voiced concerns with tallies from an alleged internal poll. A Fianna Fáil source told The Clare Champion this week that on the night of the party’s selection convention, at which Mr McDonagh was chosen to be a candidate in the upcoming general election, he was asked to attend a meeting with senior party officials in Limerick the next morning. “Mr McDonagh subsequently received a text message informing him that Sean Dorgan, general secretary of Fianna Fáil, would be talking to a number of new candidates at that meeting on an individual basis,” according to the source. However, The …

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Loughnane and McDonagh in war of words

AN explosive war of words has broken out between two-time All-Ireland winning manager, Ger Loughnane and Clare GAA County Board chairman, Michael McDonagh. Mr Loughnane has told The Clare Champion that he believes Mr McDonagh’s position as board chairman is “utterly untenable”, while he has also insisted that the Miltown Malbay clubman, who is serving his second term as chairman, is using his GAA role to aid his campaign to seek a Fianna Fáil nomination at this Friday night’s convention in Ennis. Mr McDonagh has denied this suggestion and claims the former Clare manager is setting out to derail his political ambitions. “Comments I have made in my remit as chairman of the county board, during the past fortnight and throughout my tenure, have always been made in the best interests of Clare GAA and in my capacity as chairman only. The suggestion that any comments I have made are self-serving or politically motivated are wrong and appear to me …

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McDonagh denies county board is undemocratic

CLARE County Board chairman Michael McDonagh has flatly denied that the organisation is anti-democratic, following its actions this week in seeking to quash debate on the future of senior hurling manager Davy Fitzgerald. Clubs were not consulted on the decision to back the manager, which McDonagh released to the public, via a national newspaper, on Tuesday. Although the decision regarding management has already been made, he says clubs can voice their views at the September county board meeting. McDonagh insists the original decision to extend Davy Fitzgerald’s term by three years was made at a full county board meeting in 2013 and that board officers are merely following through on that. He also claimed that the Clare players are fully supportive of this decision, despite the fact that they have won only a single championship game in two years, along with suffering relegation to Division 1 B. “As an officer board, we spoke with each other and we also spoke …

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Fitzy and Collins commit to Clare

Clare senior hurling manager Davy Fitzgerald and his football counterpart Colm Collins have informed Clare GAA of their intention to complete their managerial terms and remain in charge of the county sides for 2016. In a statement issued through county board public relations officer, Sean O’Halloran the board said it welcomes and fully supports the commitments received from both managers and “looks forward to their review of their respective 2015 campaigns as well as an outline of their plans for 2016”. Board chairman Michael McDonagh was equally delighted with developments. He said, “I am delighted that Colm and Davy are committed to remaining in their respective positions for 2016. Whileeveryone associated with Clare GAA is disappointed with the progress ofboth teams during 2015, we firmly believe that there are better things in store, and both Davy and Colm are the right people to lead their teams forward.”

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No PR firm for Clare hurlers

CLARE GAA has not formally hired a public relations consultant to work with the senior hurling set-up, according to board chairman, Michael McDonagh . News of Colm Galvin’s arrival back in Clare from the US on Tuesday was announced officially via Dunphy PR, a Connolly-based company owned by Mark Dunphy. The media release, it was stated, was “issued on behalf of the Clare senior hurling management and players”. “The 2013 All-Star midfielder’s return to the Clare panel has been welcomed by senior hurling manager, Davy Fitzgerald,” it read. In response to a Clare Champion query, Michael McDonagh said, “The Clare County Board have not hired a PR consultant. However, Dunphy PR is advising the county board in a voluntary capacity on how best to communicate with the media.” He maintained that this is a proactive step and one that may be formalised at a later date. “Clare GAA is a high profile organisation and, like other organisations of similar status, …

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