Local Elections 2024: 59 candidates register for election in Clare

Fifty nine candidates have registered to contest in the local elections in Clare.

Candidates had until last Saturday, May 18, to register, with the final list confirmed yesterday, May 20.

There are 28 seats up for grabs on Clare County Council; seven in both Ennis and Shannon local electoral areas (LEA), five each in Kilrush and Killaloe electoral areas, and four in Ennistymon.

Of the 28 current councillors, 23 are seeking reelection. 

There are also 16 female candidates running this year, a marked increase compared to the last local elections in 2019, which saw only 10 running.

The local elections will take place on Friday, June 7.

Ennis
There are seven seats in the Ennis LEA, with 13 candidates in the running.

Five sitting councillors have stood for reelection: Fianna Fáil Cllrs Tom O’Callaghan, Pat Daly and Clare Colleran Molloy and Fine Gael Cllrs Paul Murphy and Mary Howard.

Also entering the race are SNA Antoinette Baker Bashua for Fianna Fáil, community development worker Hilary Tonge for the Social Democrats, scientist Bridget Ginnity for the Green Party and Seamus Ryan, trade union organiser, for Labour, all with addresses in Ennis, along with Clarecastle postman Tommy Guilfoyle for Sinn Fein.

There are also three Independent candidates, Jacek Kazimierz, software engineer, Ruairí Keenan, retail assistant, and Amanda Major, energy consultant, all from Ennis.

Councillors Ann Norton (Ind) and Johnny Flynn (FG) have both announced that they will not seek reelection this year.

Shannon
There are 15 candidates running for 7 seats in the Shannon electoral area, including sitting councillors Donna McGettigan (SF), Michael Begley (Ind), PJ Ryan (Ind), Pat O’Gorman (FF) and John Crowe (FG).

Challengers include Shannon artist and teacher James Ryan (SF), Newmarket-on-Fergus project manager/film maker John Haugh (Aontú), and Shannon Airport security officer Fursa Cavanagh, (GP)

Independent candidates for the Shannon LEA include Keith McNamara, a Shannon-based data assistant, retired civil servant Pat Barry of Shannon and Sixmilebridge businessman Conor O’Brien.

Also in the running are Val Gillane from Clonlara (FG) and former Shannon-based senator Tony Mulcahy (FG), as well as Ardnacrusha student Rachel Hartigan (FF), and parliamentary assistant David Griffin (FF) from Newmarket On Fergus.

Serving councillors who will not seek reelection in the Shannon LEA are Pat McMahon (FF) and Gerry Flynn (Ind).

Killaloe
The Killaloe LEA sees nine candidates in the running for five seats.

All five present sitting councillors are seeking reelection: Alan O’Callaghan of Sixmilebridge (FF), Maghera-based Pat Hayes (FF), Killaloe-based Tony O’Brien (FF), Pat Burke from Whitegate (FG) and Joe Cooney of Bodyke (FG).

Also contesting in the east Clare LEA is Crusheen-based lecturer, artist and writer Dr Martina Cleary (SF), Broadford farmer Matthew Moroney, who is running for the newly-formed  Independent Ireland party, lecturer/business consultant Fiona Levie (SD),  and training course director Audrey Flynn (GP), both from Mountshannon.

Ennistymon
There are nine candidates are in the running for the four Ennistymon LEA seats, including the present sitting councillors;  Liam Grant (GP), Joe Garrihy (FG), Joe Killeen (FF) and Shane Talty (FF).

Corofin-based Conor O’Sullivan (SF), enters the race alongside Kilmihil farm worker Pam O’Loughlin (Ind), Gort-based stone mason Michael Loughrey (The Irish People), former Lahinch councillor Bill Slattery (FG) and Ennistymon impresario Denis Vaughan (Lab).

Kilrush
It looks to be a hotly contested election in the Kilrush LEA, with 13 candidates contesting for five seats.

Sitting councillor P.J Kelly of Lissycasey (FF) has anounced his retirement after a long career of public service, while all four remaining sitting councillors for the west Clare LEA are running again: Cillian Murphy of Doonaha and Rita McInerney from Doonbeg (both FF), Kilrush's Ian Lynch (Ind), and Cross councillor Gabriel Keating (FG).

Hopefuls in Kilrush LEA include Independents Dinny Gould of Cree and Quilty farmer and barber Joseph Woulfe, business owner Dawn Bennett (SF), Kilkee farmer and Independent Ireland representative Kevin Hassett, Lisseycasey Farmer John Hill (Irish Freedom Party), Alan Troy (FF), a community employment supervisor from Lissycasey, Quilty-based clerical administrator Michael Shannon (FF), teacher Susan Griffin (GP) from Ballyea, and Therese Doohan (FG), a support worker with the Brothers of Charity from Mullagh.

Full List of Candidates: 

Ennis LEA
Tommy Guilfoyle (SF)
Hilary Tonge (SD)
Tom O’Callaghan (FF)
Pat Daly (FF)
Clare Colleran Molloy (FF)
Antoinette Baker Bashua (FF)
Bridget Ginnity (GP)
Ruairí Keenan (IND)
Amanda Major (IND)
Paul Murphy (FG)
Mary Howard (FG)
Seamus Ryan (LAB)
Jacek Kazimierz Kwasny (IND)

Shannon LEA
James Ryan (SF)
Donna McGettigan (SF)
John Haugh (AON)
Michael Begley (IND)
Keith McNamara (IND)
Rachel Hartigan (FF)
David Griffin (FF)
Pat O’Gorman (FF)
Fursa Cavanagh (GP)
Tony Mulcahy (FG)
Val Gillane (FG)
John Crowe (FG)
P.J. Ryan (IND)
Pat Barry (IND)
Conor O’Brien (IND)

Killaloe LEA
Dr Martina Cleary (SF)
Fiona Levie (SD)
Matthew Moroney (II)
Alan O’Callaghan (FF)
Tony O’Brien (FF)
Pat Hayes (FF)
Audrey Flynn (GP)
Joe Cooney (FG)
Pat Burke (FG)

Ennistymon LEA
Conor O’Sullivan (SF)
Sam O’Loughlin (IND)
Liam Grant (GP)
Michael Loughrey (IP)
Shane Talty (FF)
Joe Killeen (FF)
Joe Garrihy (FG)
Bill Slattery (FG)
Denis Vaughan (LAB)

Kilrush LEA
Dawn Bennett (SF)
Kevin Hassett (II)
John Hill (IFP)
Alan Troy (FF)
Michael Shannon (FF)
Cillian Murphy (FF)
Rita McInerney (FF)
Dinny Gould (IND)
Susan Griffin (GP)
Joe Woulfe (IND)
Ian Lynch (IND)
Gabriel Keating (FG)
Therese Doohan (FG)

For all coverage ahead of and during the 2024 Local Elections check out our Local Elections Section on Clare Live