COUNCILLORS CONNOLLY AND McCOOEY LOSE SEATS, AS FOUR NEW FACES ENTER LOCAL POLITICS

By Veronica Corr

Following Friday’s Local Elections, the stage was set for a weekend of political theatre as the count to find out who would be the elected members for the next term of Monaghan County Council began in Sean McDermott’s Sports Centre, Threemilehouse. The two-day count, capably overseen by Local Returning Officer Carmel O’Hare, elected eighteen public representatives from three electoral areas, to Monaghan County Council, fourteen familiar faces and four new ones. A total of 36 candidates, from main and smaller parties, as well as those with no political affiliations, threw their hats into the ring.

There were two candidates for every seat at the beginning of the race. Fortune favours the brave and it was a good election for both Sinn Féin, who ran ten candidates and got eight elected, gaining two seats across the county; and Fine Gael, who gained one seat countywide. Fianna Fáil didn’t have a great election though, as the party lost a seat — Cathaoirleach of Carrickmacross/Castleblayney Municipal District, Councillor Aoife McCooey. It was predicted by some that it would be “Independents’ Day”, but it turned out to be quite the opposite, with Councillor Paudge Connolly losing the seat he has held since 2009. It should be noted that another Independent seat was vacated by Hugh McElvaney’s retirement after 50 years….