Mayo native to contest General Election for Social Democrats in Galway

A MAYO native has been selected to run for the Social Democrats in the Galway West constituency in the upcoming General Election.

Cllr Eibhlín Seoighthe, a native of Polranny, Achill, was selected by the Social Democrats to run in Galway West in the General Election which is to take place on November 29.

In a statement, the Social Democrats said: “Ebhlín shares the party’s values of equality and inclusion, and we believe she would be a refreshing new voice in national politics for the people of Galway West if elected to the Dáil.”

Cllr Seoighthe was elected to Galway City Council for the first time in June's Local Elections taking a seat in the Galway City Central constituency.

She had not been anticipated to contest the General Election but was added to the Social Democrats ticket when the party's other Galway city councillor Alan Curran, ruled himself out, citing his teaching obligations in Coláiste Éinde in Salthill.

Among her top priorities are faster delivery of affordable and social houses in Galway, as well as improved healthcare and local services.

Her late grandfather, Padraig Seoighthe, who died in 1987, was a national school principal in Derreens NS on Achill Island for many years and a founding member of Achill GAA. He was also a social campaigner for the Gaeltacht community and helped establish an agricultural co-op on the grounds of the old Franciscan Monastery in the early 70s. He was also a valued contributor to The Mayo News for a number of years.

She is expected to be the only Social Democrats nominee in Galway, with no-one earmarked to contest Galway East or the Roscommon/Galway constituencies.