Green Party announce Westport candidate to run in next year's local election

Completing the Clew Bay Greenway to Louisburgh and Roonagh is the objective of the newly announced Green Party candidate for local elections, Peter Nolan. He will be standing in the Westport local election area, which includes Newport, Louisburgh and Clare Island.

Peter, with his wife Grace, organically farm 23 acres between Old Head National Forest and Clew Bay – both Special Areas of Conservation (SAC). He’s now working with the Mayo Greens to secure a seat on the council.

“Grace’s family are the Jeffers from Inis Gort in Clew Bay so we were delighted to find a farm with a view of the lighthouse and Croagh Patrick, where we first met.

“We know first-hand how important clean air is. Grace recently returned from New York where the skies are yellow from the Canadian wildfires. Here in Co Mayo, we have been gifted some of the cleanest air on earth. We want to do our bit to protect it.

“I am running because I want to continue the efforts to complete The Greenway from Westport to Louisburgh and Roonagh.

“We live in one of the most beautiful areas of Europe with the iconic Croagh Patrick attracting thousands every year. Imagine visitors and their families, local and international, safely walking and cycling from Westport to our mountain and nearby villages and beaches. We will no longer be a drive-thru experience, visitors will be more inclined to spend their time visiting our local villages.

“Our community built the first greenway in Ireland with funds made available by Ciaran Cuffe of the Green Party. So much work has been done already, much of it with cross party support, and its completion to Louisburgh and Roonagh will be a symbol of community commitment to Co Mayo leading the way in organic agriculture, dependable local transport solutions, water quality and improving our local economy.”

Local Green Party Chair Brid Conroy welcomed the announcement: “I am delighted that Peter has been selected to contest the local elections in Westport. Peter has been a volunteer worker and activist for the Irish Heart Foundation and The Special Olympics and has a wealth of professional experience including a UN project in education.

“We in the Westport Greens will reinvigorate and deliver The Greenway to Louisburgh and Roonagh. We see it as a powerful way to reinvigorate our local economy and protect our landscape for future generations. We are in a biodiversity and climate crisis, and we need local councillors like Peter working on The Greenway. He is and will be a hard worker for our community.

“The Green Party believe that change is best brought about at local level and have proven in government that we are leading transformational change that will help us all move towards a more secure and safe future. I look forward to canvassing with Peter to get our first Green Party councillor for Westport elected next year.”

If you’d like to help or have any comments, please contact Peter at peter.nolan@greenparty.ie