FIANNA FÁIL has not yet selected a candidate for the Donegal South West byelection, while Sinn Féin is insisting Senator Pearse Doherty will secure a Dáil seat in the constituency.
The vacancy arose following the election of Pat “The Cope” Gallagher of Fianna Fáil to the European Parliament in June of last year. There are tensions between Mr Gallagher and the party’s most likely candidate, Senator Brian Ó Dómhnaill (33), a former teacher and former councillor from Gortahork.
Sinn Féin’s Mr Doherty (33), from Gweedore, who took the High Court action over the delay in holding a byelection, has unsuccessfully contested two Dáil elections for Sinn Féin in the constituency. His first preference vote of 8,462 in 2007 was more than three times his 2002 result. A former councillor, he is a civil engineer by profession.
Fine Gael has selected Cllr Barry O’Neill (36), an RTÉ sports producer from Ballyshannon.
The Fine Gael TD in the constituency, Dinny McGinley, reversed his decision to retire ahead of the 2007 general election and intends to contest the next one. The other TD is Tánaiste Mary Coughlan of Fianna Fáil.
Labour has selected Cllr Frank McBrearty jnr, a publican whose family were victims of Garda harassment, which was investigated by the Morris tribunal.
Cllr Thomas Pringle (Independent), formerly of Sinn Féin, will also contest the election. The Green Party does not have a candidate but a spokesman said the party anticipated contesting.
Aside from Mr Ó Dómhnaill, other names mentioned previously in connection with the Fianna Fáil candidacy include Mr Gallagher’s wife Ann Gillespie and former Republic of Ireland soccer player Packie Bonner. Fianna Fáil sources have played down these suggestions, however. Pat “The Cope” Gallagher has ruled out standing in the byelection but he would neither confirm nor deny that he might stand in the next general election.