The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
New FF and Green contenders
FIVE new contenders have thrown their hats into the ring for next May’s local elections.
Fianna Fáil and the Green Party both announced new and additional candidates in the past week.
In Tralee and Killarney, Fianna Fáil have added three names to the respective Municipal District tickets.
In seven seat Tralee Mikey Sheehy Jnr – the son of the famed Kerry GAA icon – and former Tralee Town Council Fianna Fáil Councillor Johnnie Wall will join Mayor of Kerry Norma Foley as FF’s nominees on the ballot.
In Killarney, also a seven seat area, well known musician and entertainer Neily O’Connor will join sitting FF Councillor Niall Kelleher on a two candidate ticket.
Meanwhile the Green Party has also selected three Kerry candidates to represent the party in Tralee, Dingle and Kenmare.
The Greens announced their three Kerry local election candidates on Saturday.
In the Dingle Electoral Area the Green Party will be represented by Michael Fitzgerald who also stood for the party in the area in the 2014 local elections.
In Kenmare, the Greens will be represented on the ballot by well known former journalist Cleo Murphy.
Meanwhile, in Kenmare the Green Party flag will be flown by Anne-Marie Fuller who serves as a non executive director on the board of the KSEC Kerry Sustainable Energy Co-operative.
The local elections – and the European elections – take place on Friday, May 24 and will see 33 councillors elected to Kerry County Council to represent six Municipal District Electoral Areas
With most of the main parties candidates now selected – with the exception of the Labour Party which is yet to hold selection conventions in the Listowel, Dingle and Castleisland areas – there are current 64 declared candidates.
By the time of the election rolls around at least six more candidates are expected to have thrown their hats into the ring.
Among them could be former TD Tom Fleming who is considering his position at this point.
He said that it was too early to make a decision given that the local elections are not until May but that he was considering running and would have to get things in order before making a final decision.