Change looks to be on the cards in Claremorris 6 seater

CLAREMORRIS ELECTORAL AREA

Seats: 6

Candidates (13): Michael Burke (FG); Árón Ceallaigh (The Irish People); Tom Connolly (FG); Mark Devane (II); Richard Finn (IND); Alma Gallagher (FG); Geraldine Kelly (IND); Paul Lawless (Aontú); Stephen Nolan (FF); Patsy O’Brien (IND); Eamon Phelan (SF); Damien Ryan (FF); Sandra Sweetman (IND).

THE Claremorris Electoral Area is shaping up for an intriguing race as thirteen candidate go to post in this sprawling six seat constituency that runs from Shrule bridge to within two miles of Kiltimagh and across to the Roscommon border south of Ballyhaunis and all along the Galway border from Irishtown to Cong.

Five of the outgoing candidates are seeking re-election, Patsy O’Brien, Richard Finn, Damien Ryan, Michael Burke and Tom Connolly. After 25 years of loyal and dedicated service, especially to the Ballyhaunis region, John Cribbin (FG) announced some months ago that he would not be seeking re-election. Alma Gallagher was nominated by the party to try and retain the seat held by John since 1999.

Fine Gael pulled off a sensational result in 2019 when winning four of the six seats with the others going to Richard Finn (Independent) and Damien Ryan (Fianna Fail). Time changes everything and Patsy O’Brien, who secured just short of 3,000 votes on the first count for Fine Gael is running as an Independent on this occasion.

This alone has altered the landscape in a big way from five years ago. Add into the mix the high profile of Paul Lawless who is again flying the flag again for Aontú, a party founded around six years ago by Meath TD, Peadar Tóibín, and it is easy to see why the Claremorris region will attract considerable attention when the boxes are opened on June 8.

Only one third of the candidates are in what is generally regarded as the southern part of the constituency when you cross the River Robe near Forde’s Country Club in Hollybrook. The general feeling on the ground is that Patsy O’Brien (a phenomenal vote-getter), Damien Ryan and Michael Burke will retain their seats on this occasion and that the main focus of any change will be centred very much on the Claremorris, Knock and Ballyhaunis areas.

Richard Finn, who came second to Patsy O’Brien on first preferences in 2019, is fully expected to retain his seat. The Independent candidate is again running a strong campaign and has loyal supporters in many parts of the constituency.

Mark Devane is a first time candidate from the Irishtown-Ballindine region and comes from a strong farming background. He is standing with the newly formed Independent Ireland Party whose best known representative in the province is Michael Fitzmaurice, TD. He is expected to poll well in his home region but will find it difficult on his first outing to make headway in other parts of the expansive region.

Eamon Phelan, who resides in Swinford, has put his name on the ballot paper to ensure that Sinn Fein voters can support the party.

Geraldine Kelly from Ballinrobe is a late entrant into the contest and is standing as an Independent. The same goes for Sandra Sweetman (nurse) who now resides in Claremorris and who contested the General Election in 2020 as an Independent candidate in the Fingal constituency in Dublin. Aaron Kelly (Árón Ceallaigh) is standing for a party called The Irish People. It is understood he is a native of Derry and has resided in Garrymore for the last few years.

The general consensus is that two seats will be decided by four candidates, Tom Connolly and Alma Gallagher of Fine Gael, Paul Lawless of Aontú and Stephen Nolan of Fianna Fail.

Stephen Nolan from Ballyhaunis continues to put in a strong campaign but he still faces an uphill struggle to capture the seat last held by Michael Carty and Pat McHugh respectively.

Paul Lawless from Knock, a teacher in Ballyhaunis Community School, has been campaigning for June 7 for the last few years, even contesting the General Election in 2020 when he polled in the region of 2,600. He is running an intense campaign and few are ruling him out at this stage.

Could it all come down to an internal Fine Gael battle between outgoing councillor Tom Connolly from Claremorris and the party’s new hopeful, Alma Gallagher from Ballyhaunis? Tom was tipped by some to lose his seat in 2019 but defied the odds on that occasion. There is a lot of evidence to suggest that Alma has a very strong ‘ground game’ with a team of canvassers around the region this time.

Verdict: Patsy O’Brien (IND), Richard Finn (IND), Damien Ryan (FF), Michael Burke (FG), Paul Lawless (Aontú), Alma Gallagher (FG).