COUNTY COUNCILLORS SEND MOTHS TO THE PRESIDENTIAL FLAME AW AY WITH THEIR WINGS INTACT!

PETER HUGHES

They came like moths to the flame to Monday’s special meeting of Monaghan Co Council, ten aspirants for a local authority nomination to take part in the election of a new President of Ireland on October 24. Drawn by the allure of the highest office in the land and with a multitude of plans and dreams in their manifestos, the ten received a full and attentive audience from the local authority elected members but none were allowed to have their wings touch the desired flame, with 15 of the 18 councillors voting not to make any nomination at the end of a process which Independent Seamus Treanor, who deigned not to take part in the vote, summed up with the words: “You can say it is democracy but it is also a waste of time.”

Sinn Féin’s weekend declaration of support for the candidature of Independent Catherine Connolly, allied to the confirmed presence of high-profile Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael runners in the field in Jim Gavin and former Monaghan Co Councillor Cavan/Monaghan TD and Government Minister Heather Humphreys, had signalled the ultimate outcome of Monday’s meeting as a foregone conclusion before the business began. But the Council discharged its function in the presidential process with a high-level professionalism, attentiveness and efficiency which saw merited praise for the conduct of the meeting sent the way of Cathaoirleach P J O’Hanlon of Fianna Fáil and Meetings Administrator Mary McGarvey and…