JUST three weeks after five nominations were received for the Fianna Fail convention to select the party’s local elections candidates in Killarney, it has been confirmed that outgoing councillor Niall Kelleher will now be the only name put before delegates when they gather in the Gleneagle Hotel on Sunday night.
The former Mayor of Killarney will be selected unopposed after the other four indicated they have decided not to enter the contest.
As revealed by KillarneyToday.com last week, outgoing councillor John Joe Culloty has decided not to run in next May’s elections but he has refused to state why until he can address delegates at convention.
“There are several reasons that led to me making the decision. I have a lot of concerns about certain things and all will be made known at convention,” he said.
Cllr Culloty, who is chairman of Kerry Right to Life movement, has publicly stated that he was “very disappointed” with party leader Micheál Martin’s stance in the abortion debate.
Former town council member Tom Doherty – who ran as an independent in 2014 – has also withdrawn from the race as has postman John O’Shea, from Muckross, who was an unsuccessful candidate for Fianna Fail four years ago.
First-time nominee Ken O’Sullivan, from Beaufort, who has an auctioneering business in Killarney, had also been nominated but, it is understood, he has also withdrawn his name before the convention.
It is now certain that Cllr Kelleher will be chosen unopposed on Sunday night but FF strategists are expected to seek to add another candidate before the election.
The party is determined to retain the two seats, currently held by Cllr Kelleher and Cllr Culloty, and to maximise the party vote in the Killarney Municipal District, a traditional FF stronghold.
Party sources believe that the addition of a second strong candidate would put Fianna Fail in a very strong position to secure two seats given the core support in the area.
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