*Páraic McMahon, Tony McMahon, Geraldine Lambert and Joe Melody at The Shannon Springs Hotel.
THERE will be a new poll-topper in the Shannon Municipal District for the first time since 2009.
With the local elections just six weeks away the question on who is most likely to top the poll in the Shannon MD is among the talking points on the latest episode of The Electoral Chair.
So far the Shannon Municipal District has the largest field of candidates in the county for the local elections scheduled for June 7th with a total of thirteen persons on the ballot, to date.
Shannon Springs Hotel was the venue for The Electoral Chair focusing on the Shannon MD. The areas included in this MD are, Shannon, Newmarket-on-Fergus, Bunratty, Sixmilebridge, Cratloe, Meelick, Parteen, Westbury and Clonlara.
Joining Páraic McMahon on The Electoral Chair are four-time Mayor of Shannon, Geraldine Lambert (FF) who served on Shannon Town Council until 2009, she was first elected to Shannon Town Commissioners in 1985, ex Mayor of Shannon Tony McMahon (LAB) who was elected to Shannon Town Council in 1999 and 2004 but unsuccessfully contested elections for Clare County Council on four occasions and Joe Melody (FG), former constituency secretary of Fine Gael and 2022 enterprise young farmer of the year.
Seven councillors will be elected in the Shannon MD and confirmed candidates to date include;
Pat Barry (IND)
Cllr Michael Begley (IND)
Cllr John Crowe (FG)
Val Gillane (FG)
David Griffin (FF)
Rachel Hartigan (FF)
John Haugh (AON)
Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF)
Keith McNamara (IND)
Tony Mulcahy (FG)
Cllr Pat O’Gorman (FF)
James Ryan (SF)
Cllr PJ Ryan (IND)
Sitting Cllr Gerry Flynn (IND) has yet to declare his candidacy.
- On this week’s political agenda:
- Housing is the big issue impacting on constituents and has turned away employers
- Shannon has a lot but a lack of services
- A diverse Municipal District with urban and rural coming to the fore
- How elected members of the Council can help Shannon Airport
- Potential of Shannon & Bunratty for retirement villages
- Bunratty’s boost since Clare County Council took over the Shannon Heritage sites
- Stagnation within the political system
- Councillors need to have vision and not focus on the hedge cutting
- Identity in South Clare
- South-East Clare is becoming a packed field in the election race
- Cllr Pat McMahon’s contribution in highlighting Shannon Airport
- Crazy division of the boundary is a factor in the Shannon MD
- Gender and nationality should not influence whether candidates get a vote
- Fianna Fáil’s struggles to find Shannon Town candidates
- Newmarket-on-Fergus faces the risk of having no councillor for the first time in two generations
- Fine Gael haven’t added youth or female talent but are tipped to increase their representation in the Shannon MD
- Sitting Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF) runs in the Shannon MD for the first time, can she bring home a running mate too
- Maintaining an Independent core in the Shannon MD
