Sinn Féin select three more Mayo candidates to run in local election

SINN Féin have selected three more candidates to run in the upcoming local elections, bringing to seven its number of candidates standing for Mayo County Council. 

Antonio Cafolla, John Sheahan and long-serving councillor Gerry Murray were selected to run for the party at a selection convention at the Gateway Hotel in Swinford on Friday. 

Sitting Charlestown-based councillor Gerry Murray will contest his seat alongside Mr Sheahan, who is a native of Swinford, in the Claremorris-Swinford Municipal District. 

First elected in 1999, Cllr Murray is Sinn Féin’s only elected member on Mayo County Council.

Mr Sheahan last contested the local elections in 2014, when he received 1,026 first preference votes, missing out on a seat by only 59 votes.

A former Cathaoirleach of Mayo Sinn Féin, Mr Sheahan has pledged to campaign for Swinford Garda Station to operate on a full-time basis. He also intends to advocate for supports for small businesses and farmers. 

Local election newcomer Antonio Cafolla will contest in the six-seat Ballina electoral area alongside fellow party member Úna Morris, who is a constituency worker for sitting Sinn Féin TD Rose Conway-Walsh.  

Mr Cafolla is a steward and director with the Ballina Salmon Festival and was also involved in setting up Ballina Community Radio. 

He also volunteers with the Ballina Community Clean Up and helps to coach girls’ Gaelic football and soccer. If elected, he says will campaign for safer and more accessible roads for walkers, cyclists and other road users in the town and surrounding villages.

Sinn Féin are due to select more candidates to run in the coming weeks.

PHOTO CAPTION: Chris MacManus MEP, Rose Conway-Walsh TD, Councillor Gerry Murray, Donna Hyland (Castlebar candidate); Back (l-r) Rosaleen Lally (Belmullet candidate), Antonio Cafolla (Ballina candidate), Úna Morris (Ballina candidate), John Sheahan (Swinford Claremorris candidate) and Karen Gallagher (Westport candidate).