Michael Duffy
FIANNA Fáil General Secretary Seán Dorgan was in Castlebar last night (Monday) for a series of important meetings aimed at devising a party strategy ahead of next year’s local elections.
The recent electoral area review means Castlebar will now be a seven-seater electoral area and it is believed Mr Dorgan was to meet with cumainn in the town with a view to drawing up a list of potential candidates to represent the party in the county town.
A split emerged among many party activists before the last General Election as many party supporters chose to row in behind ‘Independent’ candidate Beverley Flynn but Mr Dorgan was believed to have made it clear to Fianna Fáil members at last night’s meeting that a united front was now needed for the good of the party in Castlebar.
“With Beverley back in the fold now, there are no excuses. The only way Fianna Fáil can win back control of Mayo County Council is to win at least three, or possibly four, seats in Castlebar and Mr Dorgan’s clear message to the meeting was to unite ahead of the battle royale next June,” said one Castlebar Fianna Fáil activist.
It is still not clear if Cllr Sean Bourke will seek re-election to Mayo County Council and if he chooses to step down, then it is expected that Castlebar town councillor Blackie Gavin will be given the nod to contest the election alongside the other sitting Fianna Fáil councillor in Castlebar, Cllr Al McDonnell. It is also believed that Denis Gallagher, the party’s recent Director of Elections, is likely to throw his hat in the ring in the coming weeks.
