Two in battle to be Mulcahy’s successor

FINE Gael members from the Shannon Electoral Area will select Senator Tony Mulcahy’s replacement on Clare County Council this Thursday night.

Eighty-three party members, 40 from the Sixmilebridge branch, 20 from Newmarket-on-Fergus, 20 from Shannon, two from Kilkishen and one from Young Fine Gael, are eligible to vote in the contest, which will take place at 8.30pm in the Bunratty Manor Hotel.
Two candidates are in the running, Shannon Town Councillor Sean McLoughlin and Marinella Raftery, a candidate in the 2009 local elections. Ms Raftery said on Wednesday she is cautiously optimistic. “There are two good alternatives there and I will abide by the majority decision.”
Councillor McLoughlin commented, “You just don’t know what will happen on the night. There is a very small number of voters and I would be hopeful of doing well.”