This article is from page 54 of the 2009-04-21 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 54 JPG
AN extra councillor, extra area to canvass and extra people to vote.
The county councillors in Shannon must be inwardly smiling, but out- wardly they are panicking.
The very last thing any elected politician wants to hear about them- selves is that their seat is safe.
A scandal they can survive; a faux pas in the council chamber, no prob- lem; even taking the “wrong” side in a controversial local issue can be overcome — but for some journalist, political pundit or barman to say that they are a sure thing come June 5, that is the kiss of death.
So even though there are five sitting Shannon electoral area councillors hoping to be returned to a new six- seater area, they are taking nothing for granted.
All five — John Crowe (FG), Tony Mulcahy (FG), Gerry Flynn (Ind), Patricia McCarthy (Ind) and Pat McMahon (FF) — are putting their names on the ballot paper again, but this time around there are a few new strong contenders.
Already five new possibilities have declared as candidates, and at the time of going to press, there was one more Fianna Fail possibility from the Shannon town area waiting in the wings awaiting head office approval.
Fianna Fail in the area has always maintained that a strong Shannon town candidate was required, and this likely contender has the name and family history to his benefit.
His nomination will all depend on the powers that be in Dublin, some- thing that does not sit well with the grass roots level in light of the selec- tion process in the Shannon electoral area So far.
Many believe that former Fianna Fail stalwart PJ Ryan should have been put on the ticket ahead of new- comer Eamon Fennessy. While Mr Fennessy will have a strong GAA backing, it was felt Mr Ryan had a higher profile on the ground and was geographically better placed.
Head office disagreed, however, and Fianna Fail on the ground, who
are determined to secure that new seat, feel hard done by.
Mr Ryan was just ousted last time by newcomer Gerry Flynn (Ind), who was elected without making the quota. They fear the Ryan factor in Fianna Fail — and are determined that by letting this fear be known, he too may receive that kiss of death, the safe seat curse.
Even with the securing of a much needed town candidate in this elec- tion, the ‘Soldiers of Destiny’ will struggle to double their seats from one to two.
The big hope for the party is Patrick
O’Gorman, who was close to being elected to the council four years ago when he lost his seat, but who is in a new electoral area this time around.
With the transfer of Cratloe and Killeely into the Shannon area, the former councillor will be hoping to secure the majority of that vote to see him back in Clare County Council’s chamber.
Fine Gael is running three candi- dates, well aware that the extra seat is there for the taking.
Having nominated sitting council- lors Tony Mulcahy and John Crowe from the start, it later added Marcella
Rafftery Frost to the ticket.
A smart move — the party picked from a strong Fine Gael pedigree. Ms Rafftery Frost is the niece of former MEP Tom Rafftery, and is living in Bunratty.
A strong Independent and Labour support base has always been part of Shannon.
Cllrs McCarthy and Flynn have proved high-profile and _ popular campaigners in the last five years, and both were mayors of Shannon Town, with Cllr McCarthy the first woman to be selected as mayor of Orie
Another woman contesting the Shannon area is Cathy McCafferty from Sinn Fein. While there are high hopes for the Shannon woman in the town council election, her first out- ing in a county council election four years ago had her eliminated in the third count.
With a new seat for the taking in the Shannon area, however, the final shake down is anyone’s guess.