DR JOHN Hillery, the son of former president Dr Patrick Hillery, was yesterday selected by Fianna Fáil to contest the four-seat Co Clare constituency in the forthcoming general election.
At the party’s selection convention at the West County Hotel in Ennis, Dr Hillery and incumbent Timmy Dooley TD were the only two names put forward to run.
Both were selected to contest the election and Dr Hillery takes the place of Minister for Defence Tony Killeen, who confirmed earlier this month that he would not be running for re-election due to health reasons.
Dr Hillery said last night: “As a Clareman and a Fianna Fáil man, I am delighted to receive the honour of being chosen to contest a seat for the party in Clare and I hope to achieve the even higher honour of being elected a Clare TD.” Dr Hillery said that he was confident that Fianna Fáil could retain its two seats in Clare.
Dr Hillery bears one of the best-known names in Clare politics thanks to the achievements of his late father, Dr Patrick Hillery, who is a native of Spanish Point on the west coast and operated as a GP in the area before becoming a government minister.
A consultant psychiatrist, Dr Hillery works in Dublin and has lived there since he was three when his father was first appointed to Cabinet.
:quality(70)/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/irishtimes/6e8ec300-40e5-4306-a133-026729d6d8b8.png)