DONEGAL Sinn Fein have confirmed that all nine sitting councillors will be seeking re-election in May’s local council elections.
Selection conventions will get underway in the coming weeks but the party’s executive council has already met to decide its strategy.
“We’re delighted to confirm that all nine sitting County Councillors will be seeking re-election and will be putting their names before convention. We’ll probably have another four names to add to that list meaning that, in total, we’ll have thirteen candidates contesting next May’s local elections,” a senior party source said.
Sinn Fein selection conventions in Letterkenny and Glenties are due to take place before the end of February with those in Inishowen, Milford, Donegal and Stranorlar following in March/April.
Outgoing councillors Gerry McMonagle and Aidy Glackin will represent the party in Letterkenny while it’s understood that Glenties based community activist Brian Carr will join councillors Marie Therese Gallagher and John Sheamais Ó’Fearraigh on the party ticket in Glenties area.
Councillors Gary and Liam Doherty will be the names on the ballot paper in the Stranorlar Municipal District while Bundoran’s Mickey McMahon is being tipped to join Cllr Noel Jordan in the Donegal EA.
A new face from the Carrigart/Rosguil peninsula is expected to get party approval in the Milford EA while there will also be a new face in south Inishowen alongside Cllr Jack Murray. Another Councillor, Albert Doherty, is expected to win convention’s approval in north Inishowen.
Meanwhile, Ian Molloy (30) has announced that he will not be seeking the Fianna Fáil party nomination for the upcoming local elections. The popular Glenties native (30) narrowly missed out in the 2014 local elections, missing out by only a few votes.
It follows confirmation that Fianna Fáil delegates across the Glenties Electoral Area received nomination papers last week to select candidates for the elections in May.
One man who will be seeking election in Glenties is Ardara’s Liam Whyte who works closely alongside Deputy Thomas Pringle. He is standing as an Independent candidate.
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