The Clare People Archive

FIANNA FAIL must pay closer at- tention to the concerns and views of grassroots members if they are avoid future election disasters.

That was the view of PJ Ryan on Sunday after his election in the Shan- non Electoral Area. An independent candidate, Mr Ryan was elected on the final count of the afternoon with a total of 1524 votes after transfers – his first preference vote increased from 700 last time out to 1013.

A long serving member of Fianna Fail, Cllr Ryan stood as a party can- didate in the 2004 local elections.

However after he was passed over by headquarters as a candidate this time around, Cllr Ryan opted to run as an independent.

Echoing the sentiments expressed by many unhappy Fianna Fail coun- cillors at the count centre in the West County Hotel, Cllr Ryan said,

“That’s the major problem, that headquarters haven’t listened to the grassroots. They’ve made a lot of mistakes in this election” said Cllr RAEN

He continued, “They had no can- didate in Shannon and they’ve ended up on Shannon Town Council with- out any Fianna Fail candidate. That’s the major problem there. Headquar- ters need to listen to members on the eround. They know whats happening locally. They should have listened to the people on the ground. They might get the message now”.

Despite his strong Fianna Fail links, Cllr Ryan said he would remain an independent voice in the Council

chamber. “I’m elected independent and [ll be independent when I’m elected, simple as that”.

A relieved Cllr Ryan admitted it had been a difficult decision to run as an independent candidate.

He said, “Oh I’m delighted. I’m ab- solutely delighted. The thing was I had to keep battling away. It’s been

a very long haul but the result was good”

Cllr Ryan added, “I was an awful long time with the Fianna Fail or- ganisation. It was a long time to be involved with the party. It was a big step to break, a big decision to break. But I suppose at the end of the day it paid off. I still would say that at the

end of the day that it’s about people. It’s not about parties.”

Clir Ryan said he was looking for- ward to working for the people of the Shannon electoral area.

He said, “Ah yeah, the hard work Starts now. Ah, I’m well used to working in the community and [ll battle away. We’ve got a playground

to build in Cratloe. We’ve got a day- care centre for the elderly to build in Sixmulebridge and a playground to build in Kilkishen”’.

Cooney proves he’s no ordinary Joe

DIGNIFIED and generous in defeat but obviously gutted, Fianna Fail’s Tony O’Brien could not believe that his years of hard work had not borne fruit.

“I worked hard for the last five years and I thought it would stand to me but it didn’t.

‘I had hoped that my personal ef- forts would have overcome any anti -party swing but they didn’t. I had a great team and we did a great can- vass but the electorate have decided and there’s nothing to do about it.”

Speaking at the count on Sunday, he said he knew from the tally that the game was up but that didn’t make it any easier, although his local vote was something to take comfort in. “T’m very proud that my vote in my own area, Killaoe, O’Brien’s Bridge – all around there – that held up.” he said.

John ‘Mashen’ McInerney, who also lost out in the vote, adopted a more stoic view, having accepted from the day before that he was well out of the race.

“Begley is a good man but he took a good few of my votes. I’m delight- ed for Burke and Joe Cooney – Joe particularly got a tremendous vote. I congratulate them all.”

Like other candidates, McInerney and O’Brien were warm in their praise for the teams of people who supported them and canvassed over what is now a huge electoral area.

Cllr Cathal Crowe escaped the bloodshed after a tense night and day when the last seat was far from certain.

He has said publicly that he believes there was a smear campaign.

“Other candidates had to contend with the other names on the ballot pa- per but I had to contend with outside influences. I’m upset for my party colleagues and friends who have lost their seats. Even though you’re very aware it can happen, it’s always per- sonally very difficult when it does.”

Pat Hayes, who took the highest FF vote in the county – was “delighted”’ with his personal endorsement but saddened to lose fellow councillors. He believes the Killaloe councillors “paid the price for Fianna Fail’s na- nCOyereD im ore) n(eavae

“HE might go for Dail Eireann yet,” mused one Fine Gael supporter in the West County Hotel on Saturday afternoon. “With a vote like that in Killaloe he deserves his shot at it,” said another member of the consid- erable Fine Gael crew that had gath- ered around Cooney.

And, there were no dissenting voic- es, especially when the tallies turned into official votes and saw Cooney hoover up an amazing tally of 2780 first preferences — the figure was the stuff of Clare electoral history.

“I’m told it’s the highest vote ever in Clare,” reflected an elated Cooney after being declared elected with a surplus of 1154. “I never in my wild- est dreams expected to get such a vote, but all I can say is that I’m truly honoured that the people of this Kil- laloe electoral area put such faith in my by giving me such a vote. It’s a proud day for to be elected with such a huge vote.”

All that after Cllr Cooney was wor- ried about how the cards would fall in what is a new electoral area fol- lowing the merger of the old Killaloe and East Clare areas into a new super constituency in which there were six seats up for grabs.

“A big portion of my parish in Kil- kishen went into the Shannon area as did Kilmurry where I polled very well in 2004. I was worried once Kil- kishen was gone out of my area, but I worked hard over the last five years and I think the people supported me in a big way for the work that I did.

“In a way it was crazy they way they changed the electoral area. I

started canvassing back in March for this election, but I didn’t canvass all the area. I didn’t go into Clonlara, Shanonbanks or Westbury, there were Other candidates down there.

‘However, in the other parts of the constituency, if I’m really honest I started canvassing them five years ago when I started working for peo- ple in my area. I also worked for peo- ple outside my area. As a councillor, if I could help them, I would.”

The work done was reflected in his

record breaking vote, while one tally from the ballot boxes that came out of Ogonnelle really hammered home his remarkable showing. In 2004 he got 27 votes in Ogonnelloe, five years on the tallies showed him get- Wb OTearL a Roe

With such a ringing endorsement, it was no wonder that a party at- mosphere was building around Cllr Cooney from early Saturday after- noon, but all the while he was think- ing his next council term.

“IT want to do something for this people and the work starts now with being elected to represent the people of the Killaloe electoral area for the next five years.”

Cllr Cooney didn’t mention a shot at Dail Eireann — he left that to oth- ace

“This one is for Michael Mahoney”

James Breen’s second coming,

“ROCKET man” Johnny Flynn soared to new heights in Ennis East just hours after he topped the poll at the Ennis Town Council Election.

And the newly elected county councillor had just one more impor- tant appointment to make minutes after he was deemed elected — a long promised trip to the Elton John con- cert with his wife of 20 years Cath- ub alee

“We had booked the tickets last October for our 20h anniversary. The first record I ever bought was

Clare still flying the Blue Flags

Councillors say goodbyes

THERE were tears from Geraldine Lambert, a prepared speech from Sean Hillery, while Mike McKee reminisced about being arrested sev- eral years ago, as a Sinn Féin activist. Emotions ran high as three outgoing Shannon town councillors made their final speeches at their last ever meet- ing last Tuesday.

More than two decades of involve- ment in Shannon Town Council came to a close as the three council- lors decided not to seek re-election to the local authority. Nostalgia was in abundance as tributes were also paid to town manager Ger Dollard, who is moving to Ennis, and town clerk Tomas MacCormaic, whose re- tirement will take effect later in the summer, after 27 years in the post.

Fianna Fail Town Councillor Sean Hillery – who was also a county councillor between 1985 and 2004 – said he had thoroughly enjoyed the past 24 years of public life and said the town council was a “totally dif- ferent kettle of fish” to the county council. “In the county council we were pulled and dragged. In Shan- non it was a community effort,” he said.

“T can relax in the knowledge that I helped or tried to help every person who came to me looking for help,” said Mr Hillery.

He said when he is asked why he is retiring, he explains to those enquir- ing, “I feel I’ve given enough. I have other ideas in my head that I want pursue,” he said.

He said Mr MacCormaic was “more than a town clerk to me. Tomas was a friend from college, a friend from my youth. He is very straight, upfront.”

Independent councillor Mike Mc- Kee said he was “for the last time speaking here after 24 years.” He said that while there were some good

times, he could not remember any bad times.

He recalled, with humour, the lifting of the broadcasting ban on members of Sinn Féin speaking in the media in Ireland. “I think I was the first Sinn Fein person to speak on radio, Clare FM. When Caimin Jones asked me the first question, my lips just froze. I was like a robot. He couldn’t deci- pher what I said,” he recalled.

The former Sinn Féin councillor said that over the 24 years, he just missed two meetings out of 240. “One I was arrested as a Sinn Féin activist. They wouldn’t let me make a second phone call,’ he recalled.

Geraldine Lambert fought back the tears as she bid farewell to her days on the council, telling her colleagues it was “an absolute privilege” to work alongside them.

Fine Gael councillor Tony Mulc- ahy’s words rang true: “Half of us won’t be here in September.” Five of the 11 people around the table – the nine councillors, manager and clerk – will no longer be part of it all in the

autumn.

Mr Mulcahy said Mr Dollard’s de- parture was Shannon’s loss, but En- nis’ gain, while he referred to Mr MacCormaic as “a kind of monu- ment in the town hall.”

His party colleague Sean McLough- lin addressed Mr Dollard and said he was “definitely a people’s person. Whatever you did you did for the sake of the people and of the town, not for the council.”

Independent councillor Patricia McCarthy said she had the pleasure and honour of serving with the three outgoing councillors since they were first elected more than 20 years ago. “They were incisive, but they were never divisive. Whenever we hit a wall we worked to solve it,’ she said. She said Mr Dollard was very hon- est, open and receptive to dealing with people, while Mr MacCormaic was a diligent town clerk who did his job “without fear or favour.”