Hennessy enters election fray in Cahir MD
Ballylooby resident, Tom Hennessy, threw his hat in the ring for a seat in the upcoming local elections in the Cahir Municipal District, when he launched his campaign in The Abbey Tavern among a crowd of over 100 supporters and well-wishers on Saturday night last.
An ardent lover of all things Gaelic, Tom had made the decision to run, after listening to people within his community who increasingly felt that the main political parties have become detached from ordinary people and are neither listening to them anymore or speaking on their behalf – something that needs to change.
A married father of four, Tom is currently self-employed as a dental technician. He is very strong on the idea of supporting small and medium sized businesses and is rooted from his family in a farming background. He started his first business when he was just nineteen years of age and has been self-employed most of his life.
Involved in various local campaigns in his area over time, he has also coached at different levels in his local GAA club, something that he gets great pleasure from. He is also very involved in the local Republican Commemoration scene, organising many well attended commemorations all over Tipperary. He is passionate about Irish history and the need to keep alive the history and memory of the Irish patriot dead.
Very much to the front in recent years at the beef protests in Cahir, where he stood with the local farming community to ensure that farmers got a better deal and a better price for their goods, Tom feels that rural community is the backbone of Irish life. In recent times, he has also been central to the “Save Sean’s Cabin” protests, standing by New Inn native Sean Meehan, who was facing jail for building a home for himself, in opposition to planning regulations and Tipperary County Council.
Tom has a number of other priorities should he be elected in June. Critical of the Government’s current policy on immigration, he has called for a pause in the numbers of people entering the country, either on refugee or asylum status. Also, as a parent of a child with Special Needs, the pursuit of the provision of more services to people with Special Needs and their families.
All of these were central to Tom’s message when he addressed his supporters in The Abbey Tavern in Cahir on Saturday night, surrounded by his family and friends. Rebel Hearts’ musician Paudie Coen and Golden musician William Boles had the crowd singing and dancing. A special mention must also go to Nessa Coen, Paudie’s ten-yearold daughter, for her rousing rendition of a number of Irish songs.
He was also joined by Liam Browne, a former neighbour from Rosegreen, who will also stand in the upcoming elections as an Independent candidate and Tom’s good friend and comrade Alison Hunt of Tipp FM Forum fame.
“There is an appetite for change on the Irish political scene,” according to Mr Hennessy. “An appetite for a different way of thinking and acting and a return to common sense and sensible politics rooted in the local communities that councillors are elected from. For too long now, it seems that policies have been dictated by the main political parties, listening to small focus groups in Dublin, who have no idea of the wishes and aspirations of people in places like Ballylooby, Cahir, Newcastle, Ardfinnan and all in between”.