Brian Whelahan to run for Fine Gael

[Bord na Mona man]

Enright welcomes Whelahan's decision to run for FG in Offaly

Olwyn Enright, Fine Gael Laois/Offaly TD and the Party's Social & Family Affairs Spokeswoman, has welcomed Brian Whelahan's decision to run for Fine Gael in the local elections for Offaly County Council.

"I am delighted that Brian has chosen to run for Fine Gael and am certain that he will make a great candidate. As a businessman, publican and shopkeeper, he has a great understanding of the needs of people in the Birr area. Well-known nationally as a great sportsman and legendary hurler, he is also known locally in his business capacity.

"Brian, who opened my office in Tullamore in 2002, is joining a strong Fine Gael team of Nigel Craughwell, a local businessman and the outgoing President of Birr Chamber of Commerce, and long-standing Kinnitty-based Cllr Percy Clendennen. I am delighted at the calibre of all three candidates.

"I look forward to working with Brian and the rest of the team in the interests of the people of the wider Birr and Offaly area, and am confident that Fine Gael will challenge for extra seats on Offaly County Council."

http://www.finegael.ie/news/index.cfm/t ... 5/pkey/653

[bracknaghboy]

Wouldn't mind giving Olwyn one myself!.......a vote that is

[Plain of the Herbs]

I'd say this move says more about FG's faith in Nigel Craughwell than it does about anything else.
Given the current environment, i'd say the Birr area will return one FF (Ormond), one FG and the two sitting independents.
All eyes will be on the Ferbane area to see which sitting councillor will lose out. I'd expect 2 FF, 2 FG, but who'll lose is anyone's guess. Cloghan will swing it, as it seems to be the hub of the constituency on both sides.

Enright welcomes Whelahan's decision to run for FG in Offaly

Olwyn Enright, Fine Gael Laois/Offaly TD and the Party's Social & Family Affairs Spokeswoman, has welcomed Brian Whelahan's decision to run for Fine Gael in the local elections for Offaly County Council.

"I am delighted that Brian has chosen to run for Fine Gael and am certain that he will make a great candidate. As a businessman, publican and shopkeeper, he has a great understanding of the needs of people in the Birr area. Well-known nationally as a great sportsman and legendary hurler, he is also known locally in his business capacity.

"Brian, who opened my office in Tullamore in 2002, is joining a strong Fine Gael team of Nigel Craughwell, a local businessman and the outgoing President of Birr Chamber of Commerce, and long-standing Kinnitty-based Cllr Percy Clendennen. I am delighted at the calibre of all three candidates.

"I look forward to working with Brian and the rest of the team in the interests of the people of the wider Birr and Offaly area, and am confident that Fine Gael will challenge for extra seats on Offaly County Council."

http://www.finegael.ie/news/index.cfm/t ... 5/pkey/653

[Lone Shark]

I'd say this move says more about FG's faith in Nigel Craughwell than it does about anything else.
Given the current environment, i'd say the Birr area will return one FF (Ormond), one FG and the two sitting independents.
All eyes will be on the Ferbane area to see which sitting councillor will lose out. I'd expect 2 FF, 2 FG, but who'll lose is anyone's guess. Cloghan will swing it, as it seems to be the hub of the constituency on both sides.

I won't speak too much about the Birr area since I wouldn't know that well, except that I wouldn't have thought that John Carroll would be as safe as all that. I may be wrong, but I can see him coming under a bit of pressure, depending on how well FG manage their vote down their. Two candidates is fair enough, three could be pushing it a bit.

I'd still love to see a definitive lineup for Ferbane. A lot depends on what happens over around Killoughey where the new territory is added in on that side. I'd say that Moylan will hold on the strength of the Banagher vote, while the two FG's are rock solid. John Leahy was making noises about running, while Johnny Butterfield also had his traditional territory split. Either of them coming into the Ferbane LEA (though I understand it's hugely unlikely, but I haven't heard what his plans were since the redrawing of boundaries) would cut into Frank Feighery's territory and make Eamonn Dooley's life a lot easier, though on the other hand that bit of extra territory could force Dooley to fight harder for that "middle ground" in Cloghan.

I'd expect Dooley to hold, but I'd love to see a full list of candidates - of course this being Ireland, you won't see a thing until the collection of eejits litter the countryside with posters instead. God forbid that we'd have anything like policy positions, fora for debate or anything like that. Much better that people decide on the basis of airbrushing and slogans.

[the Untouchable]

Just out of curiosity but how heavy involved has Brian Whelehan been in politics prior to this?

To me this reeks of another lame attempt by FG to put a former GAA star in to the Dail...when they probably would be better off getting someone who actually has an idea about politics!!! They tried the same thing with Graham Gerathy a few years ago...which was a serious misjudgement by them because Gerathy is hated throughout meath because he's a scum bag. Of course it didn't help when he stood up to address the press and announced that he was delighted to be chosen as a candidate for FF!!!

At the end of the day...with the country in dire straights, surely we'd be better off getting a few people in there with some knowledge of turning things around, rather than trying to get votes with lads who aren't involved in politics and have little or no idea about how to turn this countries fortunes around!!!

[Lone Shark]

At the end of the day...with the country in dire straights, surely we'd be better off getting a few people in there with some knowledge of turning things around, rather than trying to get votes with lads who aren't involved in politics and have little or no idea about how to turn this countries fortunes around!!!

I can see where you're coming from, but in fairness, this is Ireland - lads who might have some idea how to turn things around would get pretty short shrift at the doorsteps in comparison to the fellas who know how to tell fairy stories and how to pull strokes.

We get what we vote for - Irish people don't vote for competence, they vote for the "dacent shkin" who'll sort them out when they need planning permission to build a huge house on top of a hill, or a dubious medical card, or some such.

Put it another way - even assuming for a minute that the Offaly county council had any say in real issues in the county other than just whinging and rezoning for their mates, who would you look towards? Who has a degree in economics and put it on the record that we were on a bad road five years ago? Who is willing to step up and say that the country is in bother and that we need to raise X and Y from the taxpayer, and lay out exactly how they plan on doing it, rather than just pontificate and say that "fat cat bankers" will pay it all? Who is willing to face down the Irish electorate and say that if you paid ten times your salary for your house, you weren't very clever and you don't deserve any help in trying to keep it? Who is willing to say to the Irish electorate that the lifestyle we've enjoyed this past ten years is unsustainable and we have to get used to taking things a lot handier?

I'd vote for that guy (or girl) but I'm pretty sure they'll be a hard breed to find come election time.

[Heshs Umpire]

They tried the same thing with Graham Gerathy a few years ago...which was a serious misjudgement by them because Gerathy is hated throughout meath because he's a scum bag. Of course it didn't help when he stood up to address the press and announced that he was delighted to be chosen as a candidate for FF!!!

Didn't he also come out with the memorable response to the question " So, why are you running for a Dail seat, Graham?" "Why not?" Gave the impression of having nothing at all between the ears.

[athlumneyboy]

I am an Offaly man living in Meath Geraghty made a big cock up with that statement but if you say anything against him the Meath crowd hate it.

[Lone Shark]

Current candidates as per the Offaly Express....


Edenderry Area (6 seats)
Fianna Fáil – Cllr Noel Bourke, John Foley, Ger Plunkett, Tom Nolan; Fine Gael – Cllr John Foran, Nichola Hogan, Liam Quinn, Jack Deegan; Independents – Cllr Eddie Fitzpatrick, Cllr Fergus McDonnell, Declan Leddin, Noel Cribbin, Stephen Mather, Fidelma Doolan.

Tullamore Area (7 seats)
Fianna Fáil – Cllr Barry Cowen, Cllr Danny Owens, Sinead Dooley; Fine Gael – Cllr Molly Buckley, Cllr Tommy McKeigue, Frank Feery, Vinny O'Brien; Independents – John Bracken, Frank Moran; Labour - Sean O'Brien; Sinn Féin – Brendan Killeavy.

Ferbane Area (4 seats)
Fianna Fáil – Cllr Eamon Dooley, Cllr Tom Feighery, Cllr Sinead-Moylan Ryan; Fine Gael – Cllr Connie Hanniffy, Cllr Marcella Corcoran-Kennedy, Tom Rigney; Labour – Mary Kiely; Independents – Ollie Daly, John Leahy.

Birr Area (4 seats)
Fianna Fáil – Cllr Peter Ormond, Denis Tierney; Fine Gael – Cllr Percy Clendennen, Nigel Craughwell, Brian Whelahan; Independents – Cllr John Carroll, Cllr Tony McLoughlin.

(Cllr denotes outgoing Councillor)

I won't speculate on the Edenderry area except to say that it'll be interesting to see if all these "Independent" candidates stay independent should they secure election, or whether they might go for the comfort of the FF family once again. I don't know about Stephen Mather's electoral chances while Noel Cribbin I think will be hard pressed, however Fidelma Doolan will surely be there or thereabouts if she manages to inspire a Rhode community very used to having their own councillor - there's certainly enough votes there.

John Bracken running in Tullamore as opposed to Ferbane is interesting too - maybe he thinks that there's more room there with Johnny Butterfield apparently stepping aside? (No sign of him in that list anyway). Bracken won't be far away I'm guessing, and something tells me that if he gets in he'll make a bit of noise while he's there.

I won't speak for Birr, while John Leahy's participation in the Offaly race may make it even duller if that's possible, since I expect him to cut into Tom Feighery a lot more than Eamonn Dooley and that should be enough for Dooley to hold on. Likewise I'm sure Dooley will play the card of Ferbane not having a councillor if he doesn't get in and that'll do enough for him I suspect.

[The Magpie]

Current candidates as per the Offaly Express....

Tullamore Area (7 seats)
Fianna Fáil – Cllr Barry Cowen, Cllr Danny Owens, Sinead Dooley; Fine Gael – Cllr Molly Buckley, Cllr Tommy McKeigue, Frank Feery, Vinny O'Brien; Independents – John Bracken, Frank Moran; Labour - Sean O'Brien; Sinn Féin – Brendan Killeavy.

Where's Cllr Dervill Dolan? I thought he was running again?

Bracken won't be far away I'm guessing, and something tells me that if he gets in he'll make a bit of noise while he's there.

I'm not convinced. The cosy confines keep most of these guys quiet.

[Lone Shark]

I took the list from the Express so they may just have omitted Dolan as an error, or it could be that he hasn't formally declared his candidacy yet, and that list is only those who have put their intention on the record.

Any independent who goes into politics either has to represent a certain community that otherwise goes unrepresented, is one of the big parties in all but name, or else has to generate a lot of focus in order to stay in the spotlight - not unlike a Ming Flanagan style. If John Bracken got elected and duly disappeared from view, my guess is that he'd have no chance of maintaining the position and I'd say that he knows that too.

[naasmanxrhode]

however Fidelma Doolan will surely be there or thereabouts if she manages to inspire a Rhode community very used to having their own councillor - there's certainly enough votes there.

Would Liam Quinn (FG) who is from Rhode not take alot of the Rhode vote also.

[Lone Shark]

however Fidelma Doolan will surely be there or thereabouts if she manages to inspire a Rhode community very used to having their own councillor - there's certainly enough votes there.

Would Liam Quinn (FG) who is from Rhode not take alot of the Rhode vote also.

Probably - however Rhode is one of those communities that is dyed in the wool FF - local tallies consistently putting the party over 50% in the area. Quinn will do well to turn that sort of area. If he does, it could have a lastinbg long term effect though. I'd still say he'll fall short and Doolan might scrape home - would be interested to hear from those in the area though.

[naasmanxrhode]

Quinn comes from a big family,is from the Ballyburley/Ballybrian area of Rhode Parish and is well thought of around Rhode and another big plus he is well able to talk.

[turk]

A lot of these election posters have gone up now, and some up them appearing up before they should do!

I find the Fianna Fail posters as you come in to Clara amusing. There's a massive picture of Mr Cowen, flanked by on either side by three smaller pictures of the Fianna Fail candidates. It looks like something you'd see in North Korea, if they had elections there!!