*Alan Troy is a new candidate nominated for Fianna Fáil.
FIANNA FÁIL are to select their field of candidates in the Kilrush local electoral area for June’s local elections.
On Sunday, the party will hold a selection convention to finalise its ticket in the Kilrush LEA for the 2024 local elections.
In 2019, Fianna Fáil returned three candidates in the Kilrush LEA with Cllr PJ Kelly (FF), Bill Chambers (FF) and Cllr Cillian Murphy (FF) securing 23.4%, 15.6% and 12.10% respectively of the first preference vote.
Chambers retired from politics in November with a co-option held in December to fill his seat, this saw Cllr Rita McInerney (FF) prevail over Michael Shannon (FF) and Martin Dooley (FF).
Kelly has confirmed that after fifty years of service on the local authority that he will be bowing out of politics meaning that Cllr Murphy is the only of their three successful candidates in 2019 to go forward.
Four candidates are nominated for Sunday’s selection convention. They are Cllr Murphy, Cllr McInerney, Michael Shannon and Alan Troy (FF). Political sources have told The Clare Echo that the expectation is headquarters will instruct that all four candidates be put on the ballot paper.
Now living in Doonaha, Cllr Murphy had resided in Kilkee prior to this where he remains an active member of the community. Retired councillor Patrick Keane (FF) had been one of his key advisors for his successful six week campaign in advance of his 2019 election. The co-founder of Loop Head Tourism is a respected tourism consultant.
Co-opted to the Council in January, Cllr McInerney has said it is an “absolute honour” to represent the people of West Clare on the local authority. The Doonbeg woman contested the 2020 General Election where she received 4,136 first preferences and her transfers proved crucial to the party retaining a TD. She is also a former CEO of Ennis Chamber.
Annagh based Shannon was just seven votes off McInerney in the December co-option. The clerical officer with Aer Lingus contested the 2004 local elections where he polled 612 first preferences. For the 2004 elections, 132 of his votes transferred to the then Cllr Chambers after he was the third candidate eliminated while the first candidate eliminated was a certain Cillian Murphy then flying under the Green Party banner.
Also in the mix for Sunday’s convention is Lissycasey based Alan Troy. The Carrigaholt native has formerly been manager of the busy Talty’s Stores in Lissycasey and currently serves as Operations Manager in glór. He is expected to pull a strong amount of votes from South-West Clare. A prominent member of the greyhounds community, Alan appears on Clare FM’s Sideline View on a frequent basis.
