by Louise Doyle
GERRY Crawford is this week readjusting to life outside of politics after losing his seat on Donegal County Council following a 25-year tenure.
The Porthall-based former Fianna Fáil councillor, who was first elected to Donegal County Council in 1999, lost his seat in a bruising defeat in Finn Valley count centre on Sunday, when the final two of the six seats were taken by first time candidate Dakota Nic Mheanman (SF) and sitting councillor Patrick McGowan of Fianna Fáil.
The former ambulance driver, who placed health issues very much front and centre of his political career, campaigning against attempts to close St Joseph’s Community Hospital, secured 990 first preference votes and overall votes of 1,240 by the eighth and final count.
Speaking to the the Donegal News moments after his elimination, an emotional Mr Crawford said he was “disappointed” not to have been re-elected but said he had “no regrets”.
There would be something wrong with me if I wasn’t emotional at this point but I had a good innings. I had 25 years of a privilege of representing the people. I’ve done that to the best of my ability. That part of my life is over now. I have to look forward and do something else.
“I am disappointed for the team that worked with me and put themselves out there, not just this time but over a period of 25 years. There was a big family involved, and they too will see a change but that’s life.
“I have no regrets.”
Asked where be believed he lost the vote, Mr Crawford said he believed social media had a role to play.
“From my perspective and the way I would have run the campaign, it has changed to Facebook and different social media and not the way that perhaps I was still doing it. I don’t blame that. People had a choice and they made their choice and I accept that. I accepted when it was in my favour and I have to accept it now when it is not in my favour.
“I heard it said once that victory is not permanent and failure is not fatal, and that has stayed with me.”
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