ELECTION 2024: An overview of 125 years of Local and Euro elections

On June 7 the people of Sligo will be voting in the Local and European Election. The Sligo Weekender is delighted to welcome political analyst, ‘The Tally Man’ himself, John Comiskey on board who will be making contributions as a columnist focusing on the statistics, the facts, the names, the parties and how we might expect each constituency to shape up for the next five years. In his first column, John takes a look at this election from a historical point of view, how electorical areas have changed over the years and a brief overlook of all the election candidates who have declared in Sligo so far.

THIS year on June 7 the population of County Sligo who have reached the age of 18 years and are registered on the register of electors will have an opportunity to elect their representatives to the council. They also can elect representatives to the European Parliament on the same day.

This is a very historic election in that it marks 125 years since local elections were held in 1899. That election was held under the Local Government Act of the British Parliament and continued until 1919 when Ireland was declared a Free State or Republic. Ireland then passed its own Local Government Act which took effect in 1925 and the year we had our first local election under that act. So, we are very close to the centenary of the 1925 election.

The administrative County of Sligo has remained unchanged during this period. However, the Electoral Areas have changed.

In 1925 there were 28 councillors elected in total in four Electoral Areas. Ballymote Electoral Area, eight seats, Tubbercurry EA, sixseats, Dromore West EA, six seats and Sligo EA, eight seats. The dominant party was Cumann Na nGaedheal with 18 seats, Republican party had seven seats, Farmers one and Independent two.

The 1928 elections saw the Republican party become Fianna Fail (FF) and take 14 seats, with Cumann Na nGaedheal 12 and two Independents. In 1934 Cumann Na nGaedheal became Fine Gael and took 18 seats with Fianna Fail nine and one Independent.

A reduction in the number of seats to 24 occurred for the 1942 election and resulted as follows: FF 11 seats, Fine Gael (FG) 10 seats, two Independent and one Farmer -William Gormley. In 1945 Clan Na Talun contested and took two seats, William Gormley was one, together with three Independents and the first Labour councillor held the balance of power FF and FG having nine each.

The next change came in 1974 when Dromore West and Tubbercurry areas each lost a seat and the Sligo area gained two leaving it still a total of 24 Councillors.

There was an increase to 25 Councillors in 1985 which also saw the division of Sligo area into two areas, Sligo with five seats and Drumcliffe which was also five seats.

A major revision of the area boundaries occurred for the 1999 election and saw the Ballymote area reduced to 5 seats, Dromore West to 3, Tubbercurry unchanged at 4 and a major change in Sligo with the creation of Sligo/ Strandhill with seven seats and Sligo-Drumcliffe with 6. This left the total at 25.

In 2009 a minor revision gave Ballymote, Dromore West and Tubbercurry 4 seats each.

The County was divided into 2 areas, Ballymote-Tubbercurry with 8 seats and Sligo with 10 seats for 2014 with a reduction of 6 representatives in total.

Then in 2019 we had the change to the present areas and now known as Municipal Districts. Ballymote-Tubbercurry seven seats, SligoDrumcliffe 5 seats and The Borough District of Sligo-Strandhill with 6 seats.

Ballymote-Tubbercurry Municipal District is an area which stretches from the Mayo border at Bonniconlon in the west to Ballyfarnon in Roscommon on the Eastern border and from Dunmoran strand in the North to Monasteraden in the South and includes the towns of Ballymote and Tubbercurry.

It is a sprawling area to cover for candidates with the western area divided in two by the Ox Mountain range. A very Parochial and local feeling is evident and as such geographical base counts as much for election as party politics. Will be keenly contested and already 13 candidates declared.

Sinn Fein have three candidates in a strategic choice of geographical base Jason Gorman, Donal O’Connor and Jennifer van Aswegen.

Fine Gael have opted for four candidates with Patrick Cleary joining their three outgoing Councillors, Martin Connolly, Gerry Mullaney and Dara Mulvey. With the retirement of Councillor Martin Baker, Fianna Fail have selected Liam Brennan, Barry Gallagher and Keith Henry to contest with outgoing councillor Paul Taylor. Independent Councillor Joe Queenan and Non-Party Councillor Michael Clarke both outgoing are expected to seek re-election. James Conway has also confirmed he will be a candidate and has yet to decide if he will be a party candidate or Independent.

Sligo-Drumcliffe Municipal District is an area that is bounded by Castlegal in the north and Collooney in the south, with Calry in the east and Cartronbree in the west.

It is naturally divided by Lough Gill and the Garavogue River making it impossible to travel from north to south of the area without going through another Municipal District namely Borough District of Sligo-Strandhill. Will be a keen contest with Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Sinn Fein each putting in a determined effort for two seats. Already declared are Fine Gael’s two outgoing cllrs, Thomas Walsh and Tom Fox.

Fianna Fail outgoing Councillor Donal Gilroy will be joined on the ballot paper by Edel McSharry and Independent Councillor Marie Casserly is yet to confirm. Sinn Fein have not yet decided but are understood to be considering a second candidate along with outgoing Councillor Thomas Healy.

Borough District of Sligo-Strandhill is an area which can be described as urban with Coney Island in the north, Culleenamore in the south, Cranmore in the east and Culleenamore in the West. With six seats it is going to be a battle intense and will be a vigorous campaign.

With it’s urban base this has always given the greatest number of parties to contest the elections. Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Sinn Fein, Labour, Independent, People Before Profit, Renua, Progressive Democrats, Independent Socialist, Independents 4 Change.

This time there will be as many where we already know Fianna Fail will have two candidates, outgoing Councillors Rosaleen O’Grady and Tom MacSharry. Sinn Fein also have two candidates; outgoing Councillor Arthur Gibbons will be joined by Pauline Donnelly.

Nessa Cosgrove will again contest for the Labour Party. Outgoing Councillor Gino O’Boyle Solidarity-People Before Profit is expected to seek re-election. Fine Gael have yet to hold a convention to select following the announcement that Councillor Sinead Maguire will retire.

It will be a surprise if Councillor Declan Bree does not contest what will be his 10th successive Council election and the 50th anniversary of his election to Sligo County Council. Declan was elected to Sligo County Council on his first attempt in 1974 and has been elected at each of the subsequent eight elections.

The People will also have an opportunity to

elect their representatives to the European Parliament on the same day as the local elections. Sligo is part of the Midlands-North-West constituency which has a population of 1,835,000 according to the 2022 census.

It is the same constituency boundary as was in 2014 before the Counties of Laois and Offaly were returned to the South constituency. It now comprises 15 counties Cavan, Donegal, Galway, Kildare, Laois, Leitrim, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo and Westmeath.

It is a huge geographical area from Malin Head to Mountmellick and from Carlingford to Connemara. This is a constituency that Deputy Marion Harkin was elected in 2014 before her return to Dail Eireann.

Deputy Harkin first contested the European Parliament direct election in 1999 as an independent candidate but was defeated by Dana Rosemary Scallon who was the first woman elected in the constituency known as ConnaughtUlster. That was also the year Sean MacManus, father of current MEP Chris contested.

The next election in 2004 saw the name of the constituency change to North West and better fortune for Marion who defeated outgoing MEP Dana and withstood a very strong challenge from Pearse Doherty, Sinn Fein. MEP Marion headed the poll in in 2009 and was again elected taking the first seat in a contest that included former Senator Paschal Mooney.

In 2014 the constituency became a four seater, Midlands North West and MEP Marion Harkin retained her seat.

Also elected were Luke Ming Flanagan Independent, Mairead McGuinness FG and Matt Carthy SF. The latter three retained their seats in 2019 and the vacant seat caused by the retirement of Marion Harkin from European politics was filled by Maria Walsh FG.

In February 2020 Matt Carthy was substituted by Chris MacManus and in September 2020 Mairead McGuinness was substituted by Colm Markey. It is expected that they will contest on June 7. Fianna Fail have not had a representative in the constituency since it became Midlands North West in 2014 and will be hoping to improve this year but, it is going to be a huge task. Dr Brian O’Boyle has announced he will be a candidate for People Before Profit. Outgoing Chris MacManus and Michelle Gildernew are candidates for Sinn Fein.

Sligo as an administrative area for local Government has had many changes in the past 100 years.

The councillors elected have strived to serve the whole community and decisions taken have been made with careful consideration. Many of the subcommittee members carry out work that is often unknown to the general population.

One such committee is the Education and Training Board previously known as the Vocational Education Committee (VEC).

The VEC developed the Technical Education sector in the county and in 1954 had the foresight to bring education to rural areas rather than just towns and villages. Sooey had a local Councillor, James Flanaghan, Geevagh had long serving Councillor Eddie Boles while in Riverstown Fr. Roddy, brother of TD Joseph all wanted a “Tech” in their area.

After much discussion and deliberation, it was decided to build the Technical School at Coola which was approximately equal distant from each. We now see the benefit of good decision making combined with proper management a college that is providing academic and physical education for hundreds of students.

No local shop to distract the students during their breaks.

As noted, Councillor Declan Bree is the longest serving individual on Sligo County Council. There are others whom we can mention for service. Councillors Eddie Boles, James Flanaghan, Luke Colleran, Michael Nevin, Thomas McGoldrick, Michael McDonagh, Patrick Rogers, Joe Leonard, John Fallon, Tommy Higgins, Patsy Barry and Peter Kivlehan have long service. Despite what many people think being elected as a councillor doe’s not mean it is a route to National Politics.

A small number of cllrs have been successful. In the early years Frank Carty first elected as a TD in 1918, Martin Roddy, William Browne and John Jinks made the transition. In 1948 Eugene Gilbride who had been a cllr since 1925 was elected TD and continued to serve as a councillor until 1972. Then followed Eugene Gilhawley, Declan Bree, John Perry, Eamon Scanlon, Jimmy Devins, Tony McLaughlin who went on to be Assistant Chief Whip and Ray McSharry who had greatest success. He became Minister for Agriculture, Minister for Finance, Minister for Tourism and Transport, Minister for the Public Service, Tánaiste, a Member of the European Parliament and a European Commissioner.

The longest running family involvement has been the Gormley family with William serving from 1942 until his death in 1979 -except for one year. His daughter Margaret was co-opted to succeed him and was the first Independent female to be elected to Sligo County Council in 1985 and was elected at every subsequent election until her death in 2019.

This gave the father and daughter combination a total of 76 years’ service. Tom Fox was succeeded by his wife Ita and their son Tom followed to give them a total of 35 years. Sinn Fein, very successful in the 1920 elections did not contest an election again until 1960 with Brendan Barry and it was not until Sean MacManus was elected in 1999 that success arrived, and Sean held the seat until retirement in 2019 when his son Chris was elected.

Female contestants to Sligo County Council did not commence until 1979 when Dympna McNamara was a Labour Party candidate in the Sligo Area. Veronica Cawley who had been a Town Councillor for 5 years became the first female Labour candidate elected in 2004. Fine Gael have had 4 representatives Ita Fox, Mary Barrett, Imelda Henry and Sinead Maguire with Ita first been elected in 1985 Mary in 1991 a Imelda in 2004 and Sinead in 2014.

Fianna Fail had their first female elected in 2004 with the success of Deirdre Healy-McGowan and she was joined in 2009 by Rosaleen O’Grady who had been a Town Councillor for 10 years. Marie Casserly was elected as an Independent in 2014. The first female to take a seat on Sligo County Council was Collette Flanagan who was co-opted to fill the vacancy created by the death of Martin Coggins who had been elected in the Ballymote Area first in 1967 and again in 1974. A Strandhill native living in Sooey, Collette did not seek re-election in 1979.

A total of six females were elected in 2009 or 25% of the Councillors. That is unlikely to be achieved this year.