Month: June 2009

ELECTION results for Ennis Town Council have revealed a massive loss in support for Fianna Fail.

The percentage breakdown of first preference votes cast in Clare’s larg- est urban area shows that support for the party has shrunk from 32.72 per cent in 2004 to 13.74 per cent in 2009. Support for Fine Gael in Ennis has jumped from 20.41 per cent in 2004 to 35.61 per cent in 2009.

The election of Brian Meaney kept the Green Party vote relatively intact

at 7.43 per cent in 2009 compared to 7.78 per cent in 2004.

Independent candidates again fared well with the percentage jumping from 28.35 per cent in 2004 to 35.05 per cent in 2009.

The striking decline in votes for Fi- anna Fail ensured that the party went from a position of having three seats in the last Ennis Town Council to just one.

One of those sitting councillors Joe Reidy did not stand as a candidate. Outgoing Mayor of Ennis, Peter Con- sidine, reclaimed his seat on the last

count. Cllr Considine’s total of 700 votes was 74 below the quota but was high enough for him to be elected.

Another sitting councillor, Tom Glynn, was not so fortunate. He lost his seat to Labour Party candidate Paul O’Shea on the Lith and final felt

Mr Glynn, who was first elected to Ennis Town Council in 1999, was eliminated from the election process on a total of 545 votes.

Speaking at the election count cen- tre in Waterpark House on Saturday, Mr Glynn said that voters had been

determined to send a message of change to the government.

“T felt from the word go it was go- ing to be difficult,” he said.

“Out on the track for the last month, I sort of knew it. Every third or fourth door I was told “Look, it’s nothing personal but you’ve got the wrong colours, you’re wearing the wrong jersey.’

He added, “People wanted to take this opportunity to show the govern- ment the level of their frustration. I do believe that we weren’t the real targets. But that’s democracy and

they had the right to do that.

“I suppose I was told 10 months ago that if I wanted the be re-elected, I would have to think about going in- dependent. But I’m part of the team. I’m a team player, the ups and the downs,’ revealed Mr Glynn.

ClUlr Glynn admitted that Fianna Fail had struggled to attract candi- dates to run in Ennis.

“We’d have begged, stolen or bor- rowed to get another candidate or two. We couldn’t get them and that showed that people weren’t confident in what was going to happen.”

MICHAEL Hillery cut an emotional figure in the West County Hotel on Saturday night.

It was for himself after five years out of elected office in a place called the political wilderness; it was for his family that’s steeped in this game of chance called politics like no other clan in Clare; it was for his late uncle Paddy who was his guiding light, in life, in death and always.

No wonder there was more than a hint of a tear or two, or maybe more as he passed the winning post just before 10pm when returning officer Michael McNamara uttered the words he had waited five years to hear: “As Michael Hillery has exceeded the quota, I deem him elected”.

Hillery knew many hours before that he was on the way back to elected politics, and to say he was glad was an understatement, but it wasn’t the Hillery way to be demonstrative and jump around, even if he was jumping around inside as he took a few sec- onds out from the maelstrom around him to explain the meaning of it all.

“It means an awful to me. For myself and being part of a political family. Trying to make sure that the Hillery name continued to have a role in politics meant a huge amount to me. I was desperate to keep the Hillery name up there and to the forefront of the political system,’ he said.

“Thad 19 years done before I lost my seat in 2004. After thinking about it for a while I decided I’d have another go and I started working towards that by doing a lot of community work. I

worked my way back — that work has paid off for me in this election.

“There was always Hillery in poli- tics, whether in the Dail, the Sen- ate, the presidency or in local coun- cils. I wanted to make sure that that still was the case after this election. Keeping on the Hillery political dy- nasty was huge for me.

“There was great goodwill on the doorstep — that feeling from people

that they owed it to the Hillery name to have a Hillery elected. I am grate- ful for that and very proud of that and the place that the Hillery name has in politics.

“Paddy Hillery was my idol — I looked up to him and what he had achieved. I felt that if I could get back in a year after he passed away it would be further recognition of what he had done in the county and

the country. I’d say that he gave me a helping hand from above,” he added.

Of that Cllr Michael Hillery was convinced.

FIANNA FAIL must pay closer at- tention to the concerns and views of grassroots members if they are avoid future election disasters.

That was the view of PJ Ryan on Sunday after his election in the Shan- non Electoral Area. An independent candidate, Mr Ryan was elected on the final count of the afternoon with a total of 1524 votes after transfers – his first preference vote increased from 700 last time out to 1013.

A long serving member of Fianna Fail, Cllr Ryan stood as a party can- didate in the 2004 local elections.

However after he was passed over by headquarters as a candidate this time around, Cllr Ryan opted to run as an independent.

Echoing the sentiments expressed by many unhappy Fianna Fail coun- cillors at the count centre in the West County Hotel, Cllr Ryan said,

“That’s the major problem, that headquarters haven’t listened to the grassroots. They’ve made a lot of mistakes in this election” said Cllr RAEN

He continued, “They had no can- didate in Shannon and they’ve ended up on Shannon Town Council with- out any Fianna Fail candidate. That’s the major problem there. Headquar- ters need to listen to members on the eround. They know whats happening locally. They should have listened to the people on the ground. They might get the message now”.

Despite his strong Fianna Fail links, Cllr Ryan said he would remain an independent voice in the Council

chamber. “I’m elected independent and [ll be independent when I’m elected, simple as that”.

A relieved Cllr Ryan admitted it had been a difficult decision to run as an independent candidate.

He said, “Oh I’m delighted. I’m ab- solutely delighted. The thing was I had to keep battling away. It’s been

a very long haul but the result was good”

Cllr Ryan added, “I was an awful long time with the Fianna Fail or- ganisation. It was a long time to be involved with the party. It was a big step to break, a big decision to break. But I suppose at the end of the day it paid off. I still would say that at the

end of the day that it’s about people. It’s not about parties.”

Clir Ryan said he was looking for- ward to working for the people of the Shannon electoral area.

He said, “Ah yeah, the hard work Starts now. Ah, I’m well used to working in the community and [ll battle away. We’ve got a playground

to build in Cratloe. We’ve got a day- care centre for the elderly to build in Sixmulebridge and a playground to build in Kilkishen”’.

Cooney proves he’s no ordinary Joe

DIGNIFIED and generous in defeat but obviously gutted, Fianna Fail’s Tony O’Brien could not believe that his years of hard work had not borne fruit.

“I worked hard for the last five years and I thought it would stand to me but it didn’t.

‘I had hoped that my personal ef- forts would have overcome any anti -party swing but they didn’t. I had a great team and we did a great can- vass but the electorate have decided and there’s nothing to do about it.”

Speaking at the count on Sunday, he said he knew from the tally that the game was up but that didn’t make it any easier, although his local vote was something to take comfort in. “T’m very proud that my vote in my own area, Killaoe, O’Brien’s Bridge – all around there – that held up.” he said.

John ‘Mashen’ McInerney, who also lost out in the vote, adopted a more stoic view, having accepted from the day before that he was well out of the race.

“Begley is a good man but he took a good few of my votes. I’m delight- ed for Burke and Joe Cooney – Joe particularly got a tremendous vote. I congratulate them all.”

Like other candidates, McInerney and O’Brien were warm in their praise for the teams of people who supported them and canvassed over what is now a huge electoral area.

Cllr Cathal Crowe escaped the bloodshed after a tense night and day when the last seat was far from certain.

He has said publicly that he believes there was a smear campaign.

“Other candidates had to contend with the other names on the ballot pa- per but I had to contend with outside influences. I’m upset for my party colleagues and friends who have lost their seats. Even though you’re very aware it can happen, it’s always per- sonally very difficult when it does.”

Pat Hayes, who took the highest FF vote in the county – was “delighted”’ with his personal endorsement but saddened to lose fellow councillors. He believes the Killaloe councillors “paid the price for Fianna Fail’s na- nCOyereD im ore) n(eavae

“HE might go for Dail Eireann yet,” mused one Fine Gael supporter in the West County Hotel on Saturday afternoon. “With a vote like that in Killaloe he deserves his shot at it,” said another member of the consid- erable Fine Gael crew that had gath- ered around Cooney.

And, there were no dissenting voic- es, especially when the tallies turned into official votes and saw Cooney hoover up an amazing tally of 2780 first preferences — the figure was the stuff of Clare electoral history.

“I’m told it’s the highest vote ever in Clare,” reflected an elated Cooney after being declared elected with a surplus of 1154. “I never in my wild- est dreams expected to get such a vote, but all I can say is that I’m truly honoured that the people of this Kil- laloe electoral area put such faith in my by giving me such a vote. It’s a proud day for to be elected with such a huge vote.”

All that after Cllr Cooney was wor- ried about how the cards would fall in what is a new electoral area fol- lowing the merger of the old Killaloe and East Clare areas into a new super constituency in which there were six seats up for grabs.

“A big portion of my parish in Kil- kishen went into the Shannon area as did Kilmurry where I polled very well in 2004. I was worried once Kil- kishen was gone out of my area, but I worked hard over the last five years and I think the people supported me in a big way for the work that I did.

“In a way it was crazy they way they changed the electoral area. I

started canvassing back in March for this election, but I didn’t canvass all the area. I didn’t go into Clonlara, Shanonbanks or Westbury, there were Other candidates down there.

‘However, in the other parts of the constituency, if I’m really honest I started canvassing them five years ago when I started working for peo- ple in my area. I also worked for peo- ple outside my area. As a councillor, if I could help them, I would.”

The work done was reflected in his

record breaking vote, while one tally from the ballot boxes that came out of Ogonnelle really hammered home his remarkable showing. In 2004 he got 27 votes in Ogonnelloe, five years on the tallies showed him get- Wb OTearL a Roe

With such a ringing endorsement, it was no wonder that a party at- mosphere was building around Cllr Cooney from early Saturday after- noon, but all the while he was think- ing his next council term.

“IT want to do something for this people and the work starts now with being elected to represent the people of the Killaloe electoral area for the next five years.”

Cllr Cooney didn’t mention a shot at Dail Eireann — he left that to oth- ace

“This one is for Michael Mahoney”

James Breen’s second coming,

“ROCKET man” Johnny Flynn soared to new heights in Ennis East just hours after he topped the poll at the Ennis Town Council Election.

And the newly elected county councillor had just one more impor- tant appointment to make minutes after he was deemed elected — a long promised trip to the Elton John con- cert with his wife of 20 years Cath- ub alee

“We had booked the tickets last October for our 20h anniversary. The first record I ever bought was

Clare still flying the Blue Flags