FIANNA Fáil TD Christopher O’Sullivan will defend his seat in the Cork South West constituency after he was selected to run for the party in the next general election.
Former TD Margaret Murphy O’Mahony withdrew her nomination in the weeks leading up to the convention, meaning just two candidates – Deputy O’Sullivan and Cllr Gillian Coughlan – were vying for party member votes.
MEP Billy Kelleher chaired proceedings at the selection convention at the Parkway Hotel in Dunmanway on Tuesday night, which was also attended by newly-elected Ireland South MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú.
Christopher O'Sullivan with MEP Billy Kelleher, Cllr Gillian Coughlan and MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú.
A directive from the party’s HQ meant that only one candidate was to be selected, unlike in 2020 when two candidates, O’Sullivan and Murphy O’Mahony, ran for the party in Cork South West. Following a vote, Deputy O’Sullivan emerged the winner by 193 votes to 130. He told The Southern Star that he was delighted, while also paying tribute to Cllr Coughlan.
‘Running one candidate is the right strategy and it means we can unite and put all our forces behind one candidate and it gives us a great opportunity to retain the seat in Cork South West,’ he said.
Cllr Coughlan said it was a great night for Fianna Fáil with a huge turnout of party members and supporters.
She said she respects the decision by the convention to select Deputy O’Sullivan and hinted that she may consider running for a seat in the Seanad in the future.
Meanwhile, Cllr Alan Coleman (Ind) who will stand in the general election in Cork South West, quipped that his local election posters have appeared on poles already at Brinny and Barrells Cross, without his knowledge, thanks to a ‘poster bandit’.
The poster bandit has been out and about in Brinny
‘This is his first outing since the May elections and if he only waited another few months, I could have given him a job putting them up ahead of the general election,’ joked Cllr Coleman.
