Kells, Trim SF candidates selected

In Kells, businessman Philip Heary looks set to be confirmed as Sinn Féin"s second town council candidate at this Friday night"s selection convention in the Headfort Arms Hotel. Cllr Conor Ferguson headed the poll in 2004 to deliver the party"s first representation on the body since Independence, leading many to calculate SF could well have taken a second seat. But the arithmetic has changed in the past four years even as Mr Heary"s selection would site its candidates on both north and south sides of the town. Cllr Ferguson"s strong personal following, especially among GAA and sports groups could well place him in a strong position to take a later seat. He has been an active member of several local groups, including the Musical and Dramatic Society and the agitation concerning planning matters in Kells some years ago. Now living in Cherryhill, his strong Circular road roots should deliver a good personal vote. Locals will be watching particularly for any impact on the vote of his brother-in-law, Fianna Fáil"s Cllr AO Farrelly. The SF convention will be chaired by its Ireland East European Parliament candidate, Cllr Tomás Sharkey of Dundalk. Pundits calculate the Sinn Féin vote may well have plateaud in Kells, where Labour"s two seats will come under pressure from a resurgent Fine Gael, SF and Independent. Fianna Fáil"s likely selection should put Frankie Lynch in a strong position to replace the retiring Cllr Peter Caffrey with the other three sitting party councillors driving the campaign to recover the fifth (and controlling) seat on the council, lost in 2004.