Profile - Birr Electoral Area
Electoral Divisions: Aghancon, Ballincor, Banagher, Barna, Birr Rural, Birr Urban, Broughal, Cangort, Cloghan, Clonmacnoise, Cullenwaine, Derrinboy, Derryad, Doon, Dromoyle, Drumcullen, Dunkerrin, Eglish, Ettagh, Ferbane, Gallen, Gorteen, Hinds, Huntston, Kilcolman, Kilcormac, Killooly, Killyon, Kinnitty, Knockbarron, Lea, Letter, Lumcloon, Lusmagh, Mounterin, Mountheaton, Moyclare, Roscomroe, Seirkieran, Shannonbridge, Shannonharbour, Shinrone, Srah, Templeharry and Tulla.
Seats: 6
Sitting Councillors:
Fianna Fáil (2), Independent (2), Fine Gael (1), Social Democrats (1)
John Carroll, Non-Party.
Clare Claffey, Social Democrats.
John Clendennen, Fine Gael.
Eamon Dooley, Fianna Fáil.
Peter Ormond, Fianna Fáil.
John Leahy, Non-Party.
Candidates (15)
Boylan Mike, Non-Party;
Buckley Martin, Non-Party; Claffey Aubrey, Aontú;
Claffey Clare, Social Democrats;
Clendennen John, Fine Gael;
Daly Barbara, Fianna Fáil;
Deegan Michael, Non-Party; Egan Hugh, Fine Gael; Hennessy-Kennedy Audrey, Fianna Fáil;
Kelly Garrett, Non-Party; Koneva Ekaterina, Green Party/Comhaontas Glas; Leahy John, Non-Party; Maher Sean, Sinn Féin; O’Meara Jonathan, Non-Party;
Ormond Peter, Fianna Fáil.
Analysis
The Birr Electoral Area has the potential to be one of the most intereresting of the contests in Offaly. Formed by the amalgamation of the former Ferbane and Birr areas ahead of the 2014 local elections, it was not always the case that there was such competition for seats.
This time around, though, the retirement of two long-standing councillors, Fianna Fáil's Eamon Dooley and Independent John Carroll, opens up an array of possibilities.
This June, there are 15 candidates chasing six seats, with transfers likely to play a major part in the destination of the final seats. Four of the six outgoing candidates are contesting this election, with Fine Gael's John Clendennen, Fianna Fáil's Peter Ormond, Independent John Leahy and the Social Democrats’ Clare Claffey all aiming to return the council chambers.
Leahy topped the poll at the last two elections, and was elected on the first count in 2019, along with Ormond.
Claffey took a seat as a first-time candidate in the 2019 elections. This time around she has three other candidates from her Banagher bailiwick to contend with, Independents Jonathan O'Meara, who has the backing of sitting TD Carol Nolan, and Mike Boylan, as well as Aontú's Aubrey Claffey.
Fianna Fáil are running three and Barbara Daly, a sister of retiring councillor Eamon Dooley, will be aiming to follow in the footsteps of her father and brother to keep alive a family tradition of over 70 years. She is the only Ferbane-based candidate. However, Fine Gael's Hugh Egan from nearby Ballinahown, and Independent Martin Buckley, from Pullough, will be hoping to capture votes in that West Offaly area also.
With Independent John Carroll bowing out, his departure will create an opportunity for a Birr-based candidate, with Fianna Fáil running Audrey Hennessy-Kennedy, from Clareen, on the ticket. The Greens have Ekaterina Koneva from the South Offaly town, and Michael Deegan is running as an Independent. Another Independent, Garrett Kelly, is from Carraig, outside Birr. Sean Maher from Sinn Féin, who is also from Birr, will be hoping to benefit from the party's popularity nationally and he will be aiming to pick up some of the votes that would previously have gone to John Carroll.
While the desination of some of the seats in this constituency are fairly certain, don't rule out surprises in the latter stages of the count.
Check out our election profiles of all 15 candidates by clicking here.