Changing faces on council
It’s been just over a year since the last Local Elections, when 29 new councillors took their seats on Louth County Council.
In that short time, a number of seats have already been vacated, following the General Election in February, and most recently the appointment of a number of councillors to Seanad Eireann.
The 2019 Local Elections saw dramatic changes to the political party line up in the council chamber.
In north Louth, three seats will soon have changed hands.
Following the General Election in February, and the election of Sinn Fein’s Ruairí Ó Murchú to Dail Eireann, former Councillor, Kevin Meenan was co-opted to fill his seat.
The formation of the new government also saw a number of new additions at the Seanad,
Louth County Councillor, John McGahon succeeded in his bid for a Senate seat, just as
COVID-19 restrictions began in March.
Senator McGahon has now taken his seat, and is a member of the Cultural and Educational Panel.
Former Councillor Erin McGreehan (FF) is also vacating her place in the council chamber, following her appointment by new Taoiseach Michael Martin to the Senate.
Canvassing for both seats is now underway, with a number of nomiantions already having been made within Louth Fine Gael and Louth Fianna Fail.
This week we look at the co-option to John McGahon’s seat in the constituency of Dundalk - Carlingford.
Three nominations have been finalised, Craig Colgan, Roisin Duffy and James Reilly.
All three have uniquely different backgrounds, and have been busily canvassing the party faithful over the last few weeks.
Like so many aspects of life during the COVID-19 pandemic, canvassing has been altogether different.
Typically, members of political parties meet to nominate, and ultimately select, the candidate who is set to be co-opted.
But, Fine Gael nominees have been restricted to more ‘virtual’ methods of canvassing in order to win the hearts and minds of their party colleagues.
Social media, phone calls, emails have all had to replace the hand shakes and face to face appeals for support
The outcome of the contest is expected on July 14th, with one of the three candidates (pictured below) expected to take their seat at the July meeting of Louth County Council.
Meanwhile in the Drogheda electoral area, former Mayor Paul Bell recently resigned his council seat upon his appointment to the Labour Court. A replacement by the Labour Party has yet to named to succed the SIPTU trade union official.
Cllr Eileen Tully has also being co-opted onto the council, taking the seat of her late husband Oliver Tully who passed away last year following the local elections.