Profile: Edenderry Electoral Area

Electoral Divisions:

Ballaghassaan, Ballyburly, Ballycommon, Ballymacwilliam, Ballyshear, Bracknagh, Clonbulloge, Clonmore, Clonygowan, Croghan, Daingean, Edenderry Rural, Edenderry Urban, Esker, Geashill, Hammerlane, Kilclonfert, Knockdrin, Monasteroris, Mountbriscoe, O'Dempsey, Portarlington North, Raheenakeeran and Rathfeston.

Seats: 6

Sitting Councillors:

Fianna Fáil (2), Fine Gael (2), Green Party (1), Independent (1)

Noel Cribbin, Fine Gael.

Mark Hackett, Green Party.

Eddie Fitzpatrick, Fianna Fáil.

John Foley, Non Party.

Liam Quinn, Fine Gael.

Robert McDermott, Fianna Fáil.

Candidates (10)

Cribbin Noel, Fine Gael; Fitzpatrick Eddie, Fianna Fáil; Hackett Mark, Green Party/Comhaontas Glas; McDermott Robert, Fianna Fáil; McDonnell Fergus, Independent Ireland; McNamee John, Social Democrats; Murray Claire, Sinn Féin; Murray Claire, Fianna Fáil; Quinn Liam, Fine Gael; Ryan Rory, Sinn Féin.

Analysis:

The big questions here relate to the performance of Sinn Féin, the Green Party's Mark Hackett, and the departure of high-polling Independent John Foley.

Foley is the only one of the six sitting councillors not to contest the election. He was elected on the first count in 2019, and where his vote goes will be a key factor in the shake-up for one or two of the seats come the weekend of June 8 and 9.

Last time around, Pippa Hackett took the last seat for the Green Party here. Her subsequent election to the Seanad meant her husband Mark was then co-opted onto the council. He is now before the electorate for the first time.

Pippa Hackett pipped Fergus McDonnell for that sixth seat in 2019, and the Edenderry man is again running, this time for the newly-formed Independent Ireland.

Sinn Féin topped the poll in the Edenderry area in 2014, and then dramatically lost the seat in 2019. The party is running two candidates here on this occasion; Rory Ryan and Claire Murray, who, voters will need to be aware, is one of two candidates of the same name.

Another Claire Murray is also on the ticket for Fianna Fáil, along with sitting councillors Eddie Fitzpatrick and Robert McDermott.

Fitzpatrick is the only candidate from the Portarlington end of the electoral area, and topped the poll in 2019 with almost 21% of the vote.

Fine Gael have the two outgoing councillors, Noel Cribbin and Liam Quinn, and the field is completed by John McNamee, from Edenderry, who is running for the Social Democrats.

This is a strong field with nearly all of the candidates able to make a cogent argument that they could take a seat.

Four of the candidates are based in Edenderry town, and all are well known in the area.

The big question is how well Sinn Féin will do in light of the party’s stunning performance of 2014 or their disappointing display of five years ago in the electoral area.

Check out our profiles of the individual candidates here