*Violet-Anne Wynne arrives at the Count Centre. Photograph: John Mangan

Cameras, crews and onlookers surrounded Violet Anne Wynne as the tenth count was announced and she was the second candidate to reach the quota, it was a situation that wasnโ€™t predicted by many.

Despite her low profile, Violet steamrolled her way to more than 15 per cent of the 1st preference vote. At the count centre, the Sinn Fรฉin candidateโ€™s team were located beside The Clare Echo media station and their contained excitement was palpable, some members bouncing their thoughts off The Clare Echo team with soon-to-be councillor Donna McGettigan kindly offering to include us in the Shinnersโ€™ coffee run.

But all eyes were on Violet on Sunday night and all day Monday, the Kilrush-based mum of five being pulled left and right for media questioning, pats on the back, family duties and conversations. However when the moment of celebration arrived, she cut a calm figure and opted not to be hoisted aloft like her colleagues, instead holding onto one of her children as two tri-colours were instead raised in the air.

Speaking to The Clare Echo, she alluded that despite finding it all a bit โ€œoverwhelmingโ€, her family remained a calming influence over the two-day count. โ€œThat has kept me grounded, I walked into this room yesterday and there were cameras all in my face and people wanting to talk to me because Iโ€™d left it so late to come into the count room, so having my kids there was a constant reminder as to why I got into politics in the first place and why Iโ€™m doing all of this, because it can be quite strange. Itโ€™s a different world to what I am usually living.โ€

Furthering this point, Violet said that personal hardships gave her the resolve to continue her political career following a poor showing in last yearโ€™s local elections. โ€œI have been pushed by anger towards my own circumstances, just feeling hardship every day that I decided to put myself forward and I wasnโ€™t going to change my mind on that most definitely but I had no idea I was going to actually be the candidate in this election and I had no idea that it was going to transpire to this kind of result.โ€

In the elation of her selection, Violet Anne was quick to remember some low days which troubled her as recently as the election campaign. โ€œWe actually had car trouble, my car broke down for a week and a half of the very short campaign that we had which was only three weeks so that did put everything under pressure. I was looking at prospects of having to thumb for a lift to get events but in fact my team stepped up to the mark, theyโ€™re a great group of people and came out and got me whenever I needed to attend debates in particular. In fact if anything, it brought us all closer together as a team which was great but that was a specific moment when I was left wondering, what am I going to do here. It was a very low point.โ€

Looking ahead at her own future in Dรกil Eireann with a party thatโ€™s entering new territory, Violet was defiant about Sinn Fรฉinโ€™s prospects of entering the spotlight. โ€œI think weโ€™ll deal with it the way we handle most obstacles, thatโ€™s with confidence but particularly with comradery. We boost each other up and we keep each other going because when you are creating change and you are there for the people, you do face many obstacles.โ€

Related News

joe cooney 1
Cooney criticises judicial review process for delaying major infrastructural projects in Clare
leona cusack 1
Shannon woman's family 'haunted' by fear she did not receive medication in time
Screenshot 2025-10-16 111517
Clare Echo Halloween photo contest
john moran jennifer carroll macneill patrick o'donovan 1
Minister says option from HIQA review will be decided before Christmas
Latest News
clarecastle v tubber 21-09-25 ger o'loughlin 1
Sparrow's Clarecastle not overburdened with pressure ahead of chance to seal senior return
conor cusack damien tansey 1-2
Narrative verdict recorded at inquest into death of Shannon woman following breach in HSE sepsis protocol at UHL
joe cooney 1
Cooney criticises judicial review process for delaying major infrastructural projects in Clare
micheรกl duffy 2
Sitting officials linked with Head of Operations vacancy in Clare GAA
corofin v cooraclare 12-10-25 harry o'gorman 2
Youthful Cooraclare can learn from final showing - Daly
Premium
Narrative verdict recorded at inquest into death of Shannon woman following breach in HSE sepsis protocol at UHL
Sitting officials linked with Head of Operations vacancy in Clare GAA
Youthful Cooraclare can learn from final showing - Daly
Murray flying high as he collects second Clare SFC medal with ร‰ire ร“g
Shannon woman's family 'haunted' by fear she did not receive medication in time

Advertisement

Subscribe for just โ‚ฌ3 per month

If youโ€™re here, you care about County Clare. So do we. Did you rely on us for Covid-19 updates, follow our election coverage, or visit The Clare Echo every week for breaking news and sport? The Clare Echo invests in local journalism and we want to safeguard its future in our county. By becoming a subscriber you are supporting what we do, will receive access to all our premium articles and a better experience, while helping us improve our offering to you. Subscribe to clareecho.ie and get the first six months for just โ‚ฌ3 a month (less than 75c per week), and thereafter โ‚ฌ8 per month. Cancel anytime, limited time offer. T&Cs Apply. www.clareecho.ie.