A CO Cork woman who drew international attention after calling for a boycott of Sunday Mass is to contest the election for the Green Party.
Jennifer Sleeman (81), from Clonakilty, will run as a Green candidate having accepted an invitation to represent the party in Cork South West. A member of the party since its founding roots as the Ecology Party of Ireland, Ms Sleeman counts climate change and over-dependence on oil as her top priorities.
“I support the Greens because they are the party that gives priority to things I think are important for my children’s future.”
The mother of six children, 13 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren plans to run as a paper candidate, meaning she will not canvass doorsteps or appear on posters in the run-up to the election.
A life-long environmentalist, Ms Sleeman spearheaded the campaign to secure Clonakilty as Ireland’s first Fair Trade town, and worked to establish Sustainable Clonakilty, although she is no longer involved as it has “no political affiliations”.