This article is from page 15 of the 2006-05-16 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 15 JPG
CONSPIRACY theories reverberated around the Liam McCarthy Suite in the West County Hotel when Councillor John Crowe from Sixmilebridge dropped his bomb and used the platform to announce his withdrawal from the convention race minutes before the vote.
A cunning move aimed at helping the selection chances of Shannon electoral area colleague Tony Mulcahy, was one theory. Part of electoral strategy aimed at keeping Councillor Joe Carey off the Fine Gael ticket, was an extension of that theory.
But Councillor Crowe was having none of it – the only theory in his mind was that the convention platform afforded him to make the ultimate sacrifice and send a clear message to party headquarters.
“There were 300 Young Fine Gael people who were registered as members of the party and because they didn’t turn up at an AGM, they couldn’t vote here today. Young people are the lifeblood of this party. To take a vote off them because they didn’t turn up at a Fine Gael meeting is very, very wrong,” he said.
“This has been going on for a couple of months. It was to be sorted out – there were meeting about it and the votes were to come, but they never arrived. Members got letters during the week stating that they hadn’t got votes at convention.
“I had to make a stand on it. You go on your principles and I felt that pulling out was the stand I had to make for the young people of the county. I felt this was the right platform for me to use and help me bring my point across. That’s why I waited until today to do this. There was no other reason.
“I felt it was an attack on my candidature here today – it was by headquarters. They knew I was depending on these young people and headquarters undermined my chances here today of getting elected. The national secretary of the party was here today and he heard my message loud and clear,” added Councillor Crowe.