2024 Kerry County Council Election Discussion Thread

An Ciarraioch

Contributions about the runners and riders in your local area are particularly welcome.

Tralee LEA (7 seats)

With Johnnie Wall (FF) and Jim Finucane (FG) retiring, two immediate vacancies open up the electoral possibilities for the various contenders here. SF would appear to have enough votes to guarantee three seats, with Deirdre Ferris and Cathal Foley the lead candidates, and both Daly and Kevane also in the running. Terry O'Brien's personal vote has long exceeded Labour's, so he should be safe, and Mikey Sheehy seems similarly secure for FF. Sam Locke always appears to get by, and should benefit from any Independent tide, and while neither of the FG runners have stood before, it would be a surprise if they didn't pick up a quota between them, though potentially vulnerable to an SF clean sweep.

Prediction: SF 3, FF 1, FG 1, Ind 1, Lab 1.

An Ciarraioch

The Social Democrat vote here will be interesting to note, as with Tralee traditionally having a strong centre-left vote, it's certainly a town where the party should be able to aim for seats, but will a candidate from a minority background have enough experience and resources to be in the final shake-up?

Radio5

Declared in Killarney as far as I know - Diarmaid Griffin Green party, Fianna Fáil councillor Niall Kelleher, Caroline Kenneally of Sinn Féin, independent candidate William Leen, and Dermot McGuckin who’s also running as an independent. Councillor Brendan Cronin, independent councillor Martin Grady, Fine Gael’s Dermot Healy, independent councillor Maura Healy-Rae, Cllr Marie Moloney of Labour, independent councillor Niall ‘Botty’ O’Callaghan, Cllr John O’Donoghue of Kerry Independent Alliance, Damien Switzer of Sinn Féin, Natalia Krasnenkova independent.

There are 7 seats, at the moment it's

1 Lab, 1 FF, 1 South Kerry Ind Alliance, 4 Independents.

with two councillors co-opted since 2019 election to replace family - O'Donoghue and Grady.

Will be interesting to see if there's any change.

xxyyzz

Are SF getting a bit cocky running 4 candidates? Foley and Ferris would be shoe-ins but is there a possibility that having 4 candidates they will take votes from each other?

I'd like to see Anluan Dunne get in, he's done tireless work promoting safe cycling and pedestrian infrastructure in the town. IMHO it would be good to have a green voice on the council.

SouthWesterly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122140211#Comment_122140211

Greens have done enough damage at national level without being unleashed on the locals.

barryribs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122140211#Comment_122140211

We need more Greens at local level and less in the Dail, particularly those from inside the M50. All the good work done by Anne Marie Fuller and Anluan Dunne at local level is undone every time the south Dublin tax syndicate open their mouths

Ciarrai76

Had a knock on the door by 2 teenagers who were canvassing on behalf of their mother! I can't remember her name, but I thought good tactic sending the poor kids who won't be able to answer any questions or take any hassle! Very polite kids though in fairness! I haven't had anyone else actually knock on the door though, all leaflets in the letterbox when I get home from work..

ejmaztec

I see that a certain Independent candidate called Speedy Nolan in the Listowel LEA is a Healy-Rae son-in-law, which should be interesting. At least he made the effort with a bit of door knocking. 😛

SouthWesterly

Had the FF candidate out to me.First time out.I don't think anyone told her they didn't fall to rural voters.

She seemed genuinely surprised people on social welfare got more from the government that I did in the last 12 months and that I had a bus pass by my road that didn't stop for 10km of the route as it approached and left Tralee and therefore I couldn't get public transport as her government was saying i should 🤷🏻‍♂️

Packrat

There should be absolutely NO vote or transfer given to any of the FF/FG, or Greens as gov parties, nor SF, SD or LP owning to the current government policy (with full opposition support) of housing, feeding, and paying the whole third world to come here.

Vote for the maddest bxxtard on the ballot paper no 1 and leave it at that because they'll get that vote back again if you give a lower preference to the culprits.

We have the power if we use it correctly, but only ourselves to blame for the hospital/housing/child services disasters if we vote for these parties who all agree that we (who pay for all this) should come behind every illegal cuckoo from the Somalia, Yemen, Afghanistan and even behind the Ukrainians.

Anyone giving any of the gov or bleeding heart "opposition" (theyre not oppposed to any of it) parties any type of a vote deserves every bit of what's happening in our formerly lovely little country.

xxyyzz

So vote correctly but vote for the maddest bxxtard on the ballot. Gotcha!

SouthWesterly

There really isn't a lot of choice outside the main parties.

Ame Abdurahman who seems to volunteer with TIRC so I assume is very much in favour of asylum seekers etc.

Sweeny with an address in Dublin in the ballot paper whose anti immigration

And then Locke and McEllistrim. No idea what these 2 have done for the town or their politics.

Only Ann O Sullivan called to the house and as she was new on the scene , I assumed she got lost an didn't realise candidates didn't visit rural voters.

Packrat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122178019#Comment_122178019

Well if you think it's all going grand entirely, then vote in the same parties again and you'll get more of the same and be happy out. It's that simple.

xxyyzz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122178747#Comment_122178747

I'm just wondering how voting for "the maddest bxxtard on the ballot" is going to improve things? It seems counter-intuitive.

ejmaztec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122177895#Comment_122177895

If by maddest bxxtard you mean irexit fascist, I wouldn't vote for any of them even if it were compulsory. 😛

xxyyzz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122178508#Comment_122178508

McEllistrim is probably the laziest man in politics. He was in Fianna Fail trading off his father's name. Tommy snr. was heavily involved in the war of independence. Tommy Jnr's record was checked in the Dáil once and he never said one word in his whole tenure there. He has a lot of neck and very little ability.

ejmaztec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122178851#Comment_122178851

I only remember him for two things, one being that he showed the fella who played "face in the A-Team around the Dail, and the other being that he disappeared when the council workers were having a dispute and they kept showing up at his "surgery". He's completely useless.

SouthWesterly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122179046#Comment_122179046

What's Locke like?

ejmaztec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122179250#Comment_122179250

I know nothing apart from I've seen his name around for years. I'm in the Listowel LEA.😛

Packrat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122178837#Comment_122178837

No, no Irexits for me nor none in my area thankfully (which isn't Tralee or Listowel)

Yes, it's difficult but I think I've found the right Indy to vote for. Won't be elected or anything but it's two less in our house for the incumbents, which if more did it, sends a message.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122178832#Comment_122178832

The crazies wont be elected anyway, and even if they were, which county councillor we elect makes very little difference. They have no power.

But there's this crucial bit:

Nationally if FF/FG/G lose vote share or even a significant number of councillors, it sends a message in advance of the General Election and they might get the message that their current policies aren't wanted by the electorate.

Agree wholeheartedly about Tommy Mc. Not the sharpest.

Rows Grower

So far we have had one candidate visit us in search of a vote and he got a non negotionable piece of sign language that impressed him enough to keep driving on.

How dare these people show their faces once every 4-5 years and think they are worthy of a vote.

redseat1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122179599#Comment_122179599

I wont bother with your right wing ravings, but do you really think "special needs" is an appropriate way to express your contempt for someone?

Disgusting.

Packrat

Yeah, that might have been a touch too pointed. I've edited it.

Apologies to yourself abd anyone else offended.

ejmaztec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122179599#Comment_122179599

You deny that they're in the Irexit camp but you didn't deny that they're fascists, which is telling.

Packrat

"Very telling" - no, its not, it's just that I didn't parse your non-question. You made a statement. I agreed.

Now you're back with your juvenile 'gotcha'

Jesus Christ, some people only come on these threads to try to antagonise others.

No, - I'm not voting for any facist or any racist either before you come back and ask that.

ejmaztec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122181562#Comment_122181562

Perhaps you should have clearly defined "maddest bxxtard" Then you wouldn't have had to be getting all emotional over my contributions to this thread? 😛