Fine Gael and Sinn Féin to battle it out in Ballina

Ballina Electoral Area

Seats: 6

Candidates (15): David Alexander (FF), Garie Beattie (IND), Antonio Cafolla (IND), Joe Doocey (IND), Mark Duffy (IND), Joe Faughnan (IND), Keith Howley (IND), Michael Loftus (FF), Úna Morris (SF), Jo Mullen (NP), Jarlath Munnelly (FG), Willie Nolan (NP), John O’Hara (FG), Annie May Reape (FF), Hugh Rouse (FG).

THREE major local electoral battlegrounds have emerged in Ballina.

First is the ‘deep south’, where the retirement of Independent Séamus Weir after a quarter of century of service has left a scatter of votes up for grabs in his old hunting ground of Knockmore.

Second is Ballina itself, where housing, immigration and traffic are the hot issues.

Thirdly, the most north-western corner of the electoral area looks set to be the most keenly contested.

Of all the sitting councillors, Killala-based Fine Gael councillor Jarlath Munnelly will be under the most pressure, most notably from Sinn Féin’s Úna Morris.

A resident of Killala herself, Ms Morris is also well-known in the urban part of the constituency, where she works in Rose Conway-Walsh’s Ballina office.

Cllr Munnelly - who was elected on the eighth count in 2019 without reaching the quota - is likely to face a severe challenge from the Sinn Féin newcomer in his native area.

A total of 15 candidates are standing in the Ballina Electoral area - up three from 2019 - eight of whom are based in the town, where Independent Mark Duffy became the story of the last election after nearly topping the poll.

Despite having no stand-out ‘signature projects’ to his name, the well-known Ballina Town soccer player looks set to be re-elected comfortably.

Cllr Duffy is one of seven non-party candidates standing in Ballina, including Willie Nolan, who was knocked out at the fifth count in the 2019 elections after getting 388 first preferences.

Battle of Pearse Street
A contest worth watching - let’s call it ‘The Battle of Pearse Street’ - will be Hugh Rouse versus Annie May Reape.

Both addressed at Ballina’s most well-known thoroughfare, Mr Rouse is well-known in the local business community as an ex-Ballina Chamber of Commerce President, while Cllr Reape attracted over 1,300 first preferences last time around.

Childers Heights-based Sinn Féin candidate Antonio Cafolla is understood to have canvassed the estates heavily alongside Úna Morris, However, that may not be enough to unseat the long-serving Cllr Reape, who has been a steady vote getter since first being elected in 1991.

Mr Rouse will hope to avoid the same fate as Kieran Gill and Aileen Horkan, who fell afoul of an unwise four-candidate Fine Gael strategy last time, limping out at the seventh and eighth counts respectively after failing to get within 700 votes of the quota of 1,753.

Cllr John O’Hara, who topped the poll in 2019, is likely to sail home again with a strong vote in his native Bonniconlon and reliable support in Attymass, Behy and Bofield.

The large share of the votes will be up for grabs in Knockmore, where local man Joe Faughnan (Independent) will seek to capitalise on the departure of Séamus Weir.

Like Cllr Weir, Mr Faughnan is well-known in sporting circles as manager of the Conn Rangers Super League team and as a member of the Mayo Football League committee.

However, even with Cllr Weir canvassing with Mr Faughnan, how big an influence his sporting endeavours will have is difficult to say.

As one Fine Gael source noted: “They say in Knockmore you have to have county medals to get elected.”

As well as Knockmore, Cllr Weir drew a steady vote and Ardagh, where Fianna Fáil newcomer, David Alexander, will be vying for much of this vote.

That leaves plenty to play for in the south of the six-seat Ballina Electoral Area.

Not so much in Crossmolina, where Fianna Fáil’s Michael Loftus should be hoisted up well before eighth count as the outgoing council Cathaoirleach.

Expect Sinn Féin to perform better than 2019, when their only candidate in the area, Michael Regan, got just 279 first preference votes in an electoral annus horribilis for the party.

Likewise, Fine Gael’s three-candidate strategy should benefit electoral newcomer Hugh Rouse and the under-pressure incumbent Jarlath Munnelly.

Cllr Munnelly is understood to be building a house in the Ballina area alongside his wife, Fianna Fáil Senator and European election candidate Lisa Chambers.

Their titles could be very different by the time they’ve moved in.

Verdict: Mark Duffy (IND), John O’Hara (FG), Hugh Rouse (FG), Annie May Reape (FF), Michael Loftus (FF), Úna Morris (SF)