This article is from page 8 of the 2013-10-29 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 8 JPG
DURING the Fine Gael selection convention for the Ennis Municipal Area at the Auburn Lodge Hotel, a councillor of almost three decades retired, leaving way on the ticket for the youngest local election candidate to date.
Five Fine Gael candidates in total were selected to contest the eightseater constituency in the 2014 Local Elections, with no decision yet if another candidate is to be added.
Former Deputy Mayor Cllr Sonny Scanlon announced his retirement from the council and withdrew his nomination at the convention, as three other sitting county council- lors were returned to contest the first ever election for the new look local authority.
Cllr Paul Murphy, Cllr Johnny Flynn, and Cllr Tony Mulqueen were nominated and selected, along with Ennis town councillor Mary Howard and newcomer to elected politics 23year-old Cillian Griffey.
The Michael Howard Ennis Branch of Fine Gael nominated Cllr Johnny Flynn, Cllr Tony Mulqueen and Cllr Mary Howard. Cllr Paul Murphy was nominated by the Clarecastle/Ballyea branch and election newcomer, Cillian Griffey was nominated by the Barefield and Quin Fine Gael Branches as well as the Clare Young Fine Gael branch.
There were no other nominations on the night. Fine Gael Party Headquarters had directed that five candidates would be selected for the Ennis area which meant no vote would have to take place and all five remaining nominees were selected to run in the new Ennis area.
The guest chairperson for the Ennis convention was Senator Hildegarde Naughton from Galway.