Micheál Martin to meet Mayo FF grassroots

Fianna FΡil recovery will ‘take time’ as Martin prepares for Mayo visit


Leader to meet party grassroots in early September

Anton McNulty

As Fianna FΡil leader MicheΡl Martin prepares to visit to Mayo for the first time since the General Election, one of the party’s seven county councillors believes it will ‘take time’ for the party to recover its popularity in the county.
MicheΡl Martin is due to address the Mayo membership of Fianna FΡil in the Welcome Inn Hotel on Monday, September 5 as part of his nationwide tour to try to rejuvenate the grassroots following a disastrous General Election.
Castlebar-based councillor Al McDonnell told The Mayo News that there is a level of interest from the party membership ahead of the visit and expected a large crowd even if it is a bad time of the year for having meetings. With just seven county councillors sitting on Mayo County Council acknowledged that the party was in a difficult position but was confident it can recover in the future.
“The party can recover in Mayo and our preference in the General Election considering the Taoiseach factor in the constituency was laudable and compared to other constituencies we did exceptionally well. We can recover but it will take time,” he said.
Cllr McDonnell said it was premature at this stage to talk about preparing for a local election which is three years away saying that ‘three years is along time in politics’. He added that MicheΡl Martin had a difficult challenge ahead of him as leader of Fianna FΡil but felt that with difficult decisions to make in the near future the current governments popularity could dip in the future.
Lisa Chambers, the Fianna FΡil Castlebar area representative urged party members to attend the meeting to listen to MicheΡl Martin and discuss ways to bring the party forward.
“This is the first step in the recovery of our party and it is vital that our members have their say in that process by meeting and talking with the party leader. In spite of our setbacks at national level, we here in Mayo still have a vibrant, loyal Fianna FΡil organisation, and our members are determined to see the party return to its rightful place at the heart of Irish public life. I urge all members to show their support by their attendance to meet our party leader next Monday night,” she said.
Mr Martin will address the Mayo membership at the Welcome Inn Hotel, Castlebar, on Monday, September 5 at 8pm.