Dundalk Workers’ Party activist Peter Short passes away

Peter Short RIP. One of the many things he campaigned for over the years was the Louth County Hospital

The death has occurred of former local politican, Peter Short.

The Oriel Terrace man passed away yesterday in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda following a short illness.

The Short family would be well known in local circles for their Plant Hire business in Quay Street, where Peter worked for many years following a spell as a Marine Engineer with the Merchant Navy.

It was as a member of the Workers’ Party that Peter made his name though.

He would compete in the 1992 General Election, taking 249 votes, and again in the 2002 General Election where he won 176 votes.

His last active campaign for the Dáil was the 2007 General Election where he took 193 first preference votes.

Peter also ran for the party in the 1999 and 2009 local elections in the Dundalk South constituency.

Amongst the many things he campaigned for over the years included the Louth County Hospital and against proposals for an incinerator in Dundalk.

Workers’ Party President Michael Donnelly paid tribute to Peter following his passing last night, saying he was a member of high standing in the party who would be greatly missed by comrades the length and breadth of Ireland and beyond.

Donnelly said that Peter had been a party activist for his entire adult life having joined the then republican movement in his youth and remaining steadfast to the principles of socialist republicanism through the various stages of the development of the Workers’ Party.

A keen Irish traditional musician, Peter was well known in Irish musical circles and from his association with his lifelong comrade and friend the late Mark McLoughlin of Mark’s Bar in Crowe Street who predeceased him by less than a year.

Donnelly said: “Our deepest sympathy goes out to Peter’s wife Josie, his brother and sisters, his comrades and his wide circle of friends. He will be remembered with pride and fondness.”

Survived by his wife Josie (nee O’Brien) and siblings Miriam, John, Nuala and Maeve, he was predeceased his parents John and Bridie and sister Bernadette.

Peter will be reposing in McGeough’s Funeral Home in Jocelyn Street from 4pm until 7pm today. Removal takes place on Wednesday afternoon at 12.50pm to St Patrick’s Cathedral, arriving for Mass at 1pm. Burial afterwards to St Patrick’s Cemetery.

New look Louth County Council to meet for the first time this morning

The offices of Louth County Council

The first meeting of the new Louth County Council will take place later today.

This will be the first gathering of the local authority since the recent local elections and the abolition of the town and borough councils.

At the meeting the first chairperson of the new look council is expected to be decided.

The new council is made up of the following:

Dundalk South (7) – Tomás Sharkey (Sinn Féin), Declan Breathnach (Fianna Fáil), Maeve Anna Yore (Independent), Kevin Meenan (Sinn Féin), Jennifer Green (Sinn Féin), Maria Doyle (Fine Gael), Marianne Butler (Green Party).

Dundalk Carlingford (6) – Edel Corrigan (Sinn Féin), Peter Savage (Fianna Fáil), Jim Loughran (Sinn Féin), John McGahon (Fine Gael), Mark Dearey (Green Party), Conor Keelan (Fianna Fáil).

Ardee (6) – Pearse McGeough (Sinn Féin), Colm Markey (Fine Gael), Liam Reilly (Fianna Fáil), Tom Cunningham (Sinn Féin), Dolores Minogue (Fine Gael), Jim Tenanty (Independent).

Drogheda (10) – Imelda Munster (Sinn Féin), Paul Bell (Labour Party), Alan Cassidy (Sinn Féin), Tommy Byrne (Fianna Fáil), Kenneth Flood (Sinn Féin), Frank Godfrey (Independent), Kevin Callan (Fine Gael), Oliver Tully (Fine Gael), Richie Culhane (Fine Gael), Pio Martin Smith (Labour Party).

Adams thanks Louth electorate

Gerry Adams

Sinn Féin president and Louth TD Gerry Adams has thanked local voters for the support they showed the party in last week’s local and European elections.

The party returned their best ever result in an election poll with 10 of their 11 candidates earned seats on Louth County Council and the unlucky JJ Quigley only missing out by just four votes to Fianna Fáil’s Conor Keelan.

Adding to a great weekend for Sinn Féin in the area, Carrickmacross man Matt Carthy also got elected to the European Parliament having topped the poll in Louth.

Commenting on the matter, Deputy Adams said:

“I want to thank all those who voted for our local team of Louth County Councillors and for Matt Carthy for Europe. I also want to thank all our party workers, their families and all our candidates in Louth. Sinn Féin stood 11 candidates for Louth County Council and 10 were elected. I want to thank JJ Quigley for his hard work and commitment and his family for their support.

“Sinn Féin is now the largest party on Louth County Council, as well as across the island of Ireland. In the EU election Sinn Féin took 483,113 votes and four EU Parliamentary seats. The party now has 262 Councillors and is the largest party on eight councils.

“We are committed to using our growing mandate of Councillors, TDs, MEPs, MPs, and MLAs wisely and in the interests of citizens.

“Sinn Féin will also keep the commitments we made to the electorate.

“It is clear increasing numbers of citizens are seeking a new kind of politics. Some combination of Fine Gael, Labour and Fianna Fáil has been in government since the foundation of this state. The old way of doing politics, as practiced by these parties, has failed.

“The message arising out of the elections is that citizens want change. They have rejected the ‘consensus for cuts’ represented by Fine Gael, Labour and Fianna Fáil. The electorate has endorsed Sinn Féin’s message that there is a fairer way.

“The result is also an endorsement Sinn Fein’s message of the need to reinvigorate the Peace Process and for an agreed, united Ireland.

“The huge vote for Sinn Fein also marks a profound change in the political landscape in this state. The Government dismisses this as a protest vote or, as the Taoiseach claims, a sign of frustration by the electorate. This is wrong. The Government has been sent a very clear message. They do not have public support for the damaging policies they are implementing.

“The voters have called time on this government. They should change political direction or call a General Election.”

Tenanty claims final seat on Louth County Council

Jim Tenanty

Jim Tenanty held off the challenge of fellow independent Hugh Conlon to take the last seat on the new Louth County Council following yesterday evening’s recount at the Redeemer in Dundalk.

Just 23 votes had separated the pair in the Ardee electoral area on Sunday night, leading to Conlon calling for a recount.

However, it failed to change the outcome, with Tenanty holding on to take his seat on the new local authority.

That leaves things as follows:

The party breakdown reads as

• Sinn Féin – 10 seats
• Fine Gael – 7 seats
• Fianna Fáil – 5 seats
• Labour Party – 2 seats
• Green Party – 2 seats
• Independents – 3 seats

Meanwhile, the new council is made up of the following:

Dundalk South (7) – Tomás Sharkey (Sinn Féin), Declan Breathnach (Fianna Fáil), Maeve Anna Yore (Independent), Kevin Meenan (Sinn Féin), Jennifer Green (Sinn Féin), Maria Doyle (Fine Gael), Marianne Butler (Green Party).

Dundalk Carlingford (6) – Edel Corrigan (Sinn Féin), Peter Savage (Fianna Fáil), Jim Loughran (Sinn Féin), John McGahon (Fine Gael), Mark Dearey (Green Party), Conor Keelan (Fianna Fáil).

Ardee (6) – Pearse McGeough (Sinn Féin), Colm Markey (Fine Gael), Liam Reilly (Fianna Fáil), Tom Cunningham (Sinn Féin), Dolores Minogue (Fine Gael), Jim Tenanty (Independent).

Drogheda (10) – Imelda Munster (Sinn Féin), Paul Bell (Labour Party), Alan Cassidy (Sinn Féin), Tommy Byrne (Fianna Fáil), Kenneth Flood (Sinn Féin), Frank Godfrey (Independent), Kevin Callan (Fine Gael), Oliver Tully (Fine Gael), Richie Culhane (Fine Gael), Pio Martin Smith (Labour Party).

Drama at count centre as Keelan pips Quigley to final seat by just four votes

Some of the victorious Sinn Féin team at the count centre on Saturday with party leader and local TD Gerry Adams. From left: Edel Corrigan, Pearse McGeough, Gerry Adams, Imelda Munster, Tomás Sharkey, Jennifer Green, Tom Cunningham and Alan Cassidy

Conor Keelan won the final seat in Dundalk Carlingford by just four votes from JJ Quigley

There was drama at the local election count in the Redeemer last night after a recount was ordered to decide who took the last seat available in the Dundalk-Carlingford constituency.

In the end history repeated itself as Fianna Fáil’s Conor Keelan saw off competition from Sinn Féin’s JJ Quigley to take the final seat by just four votes – the same margin that independent councillor Alan Grehan pipped Fianna Fáil’s Donal Lynch by following a similar recount five years ago.

Initially there had been just two votes separating the pair before the recount but it failed to change the outcome.

The failure of Quigley to get elected was the one downside to what was an otherwise fantastic weekend for Sinn Féin, who saw 10 of their 11 candidates elected, with poll toppers in each of the four electoral areas.

As is always the case in elections, there were casualties with established councillors such as Eamonn O’Boyle, Jim Ryan, Jim Lennon, Finnan McCoy, Martin Murnaghan, Linus English, Michael O’Dowd, Sean Bellew and Oliver Morgan all losing seats.

For the first time there is the possibility also of a husband and wife team on the council with Sinn Féin’s Jennifer Green elected in Dundalk South, while her fiancé Alan Cassidy was elected in Drogheda.

Sinn Féin aside, the big winners included independent Maeve Anna Yore and Fine Gael’s John McGahon and Maria Doyle, who secured seats on their debut elections.

It was also a good weekend for the Green Party, with both Mark Dearey and Marianne Butler retaining their status.

The only remaining seat still to be decided is in Ardee, where a recount will take place this morning at 10am at the request of Hugh Conlon, who lost out on the final seat to fellow independent Jim Tenanty by just 23 votes.

The party breakdown look as follows:

• Sinn Féin – 10 seats
• Fine Gael – 7 seats
• Fianna Fáil – 5 seats
• Labour Party – 2 seats
• Green Party – 2 seats
• Independents – 3 seats

There will also be a record number of women representatives, with seven female councillors elected.

As things stand the new County Council will look as follows:

Dundalk South (7) – Tomás Sharkey (Sinn Féin), Declan Breathnach (Fianna Fáil), Maeve Anna Yore (Independent), Kevin Meenan (Sinn Féin), Jennifer Green (Sinn Féin), Maria Doyle (Fine Gael), Marianne Butler (Green Party).

Dundalk Carlingford (6) – Edel Corrigan (Sinn Féin), Peter Savage (Fianna Fáil), Jim Loughran (Sinn Féin), John McGahon (Fine Gael), Mark Dearey (Green Party), Conor Keelan (Fianna Fáil).

Ardee (6) – Pearse McGeough (Sinn Féin), Colm Markey (Fine Gael), Liam Reilly (Fianna Fáil), Tom Cunningham (Sinn Féin), Dolores Minogue (Fine Gael), Jim Tenanty/Hugh D Conlon (Independent).

Drogheda (10) – Imelda Munster (Sinn Féin), Paul Bell (Labour Party), Alan Cassidy (Sinn Féin), Tommy Byrne (Fianna Fáil), Kenneth Flood (Sinn Féin), Frank Godfrey (Independent), Kevin Callan (Fine Gael), Oliver Tully (Fine Gael), Richie Culhane (Fine Gael), Pio Martin Smith (Labour Party).

Full results for each electoral area are also available on the Louth County Council website – Dundalk Carlingford, Dundalk South, Ardee, Drogheda.

Sinn Féin the big winners in local election polling

Cllr Tomás Sharkey has retained his seat

It looks set to be a memorable local election campaign for Sinn Féin with the party on course to get all 11 candidates throughout Louth elected to the new County Council.

Amongst those already elected are Sinn Féin pair Tomás Sharkey and Edel Corrigan and outgoing county council chairman Declan Breathnach.

Independent Maeve Yore looks set to get elected in her first campaign also while those losing their seats include the last chairman of Dundalk Town Council, Eamonn O’Boyle, and fellow independent Ollie Morgan.

The results after the first vote in Dundalk South were as follows:

• SF Sharkey 1805 ELECTED
• FF Breatnach 1364 ELECTED
• IND Yore 1228
• SF Meenan 1082
• SF Green 992
• GN Butler 777
• FG Doyle 637
• FF Egan 585
• IND Bellew 473
• FG English 405
• IND O’Neill 375
• FG Malone 352
• IND Morgan 114
• Fitzsimons 109
• IND O’Boyle 304

The results after the first vote in Dundalk Carlingford were:

• Edel Corrigan (Sinn Fein) votes 1564 ELECTED
• Peter Savage (Fianna Fail) 1239
• Jim Loughran (Sinn Fein) 1256
• JJ Quigley (Sinn Fein) 777
• John McGahon (Fine Gael) 763
• Conor Keelan (Fianna Fail) 737
• Mark Dearey (Green Party) 717
• Colin Goss (Fine Gael) 736
• Sean Kelly (Fianna Fail) 530
• Jim Ryan (Independent) 538
• Martin Murnaghan (Fine Gael) 380
• Eamonn O’Boyle (Independent) 301
• Syd Smith (PBP) 98
• Luke Martin (Independent) 99
• Sylwia Jakubas (Independent) 71

Counting continues this morning in the Redeemer Family Resource Centre with transfers set to be made to determine who secures the remaining seats.

Who will you be voting for in Dundalk Carlingford?

It’s polling day tomorrow and you will have a chance to vote for the next Louth County Council. Let us know who will be getting your number one vote below in Dundalk Carlingford.

Best of luck to all candidates and, no matter the outcome, may we get a good bunch of public representatives at the end of it.

Who will you be voting for in Dundalk South?

It’s polling day tomorrow and you will have a chance to vote for the next Louth County Council. Let us know who will be getting your number one vote below in Dundalk South.

Best of luck to all candidates and, no matter the outcome, may we get a good bunch of public representatives at the end of it.

Corrigan welcomes funding for work in Saltown

Saltown

Cllr Edel Corrigan has welcomed the news that funding has been approved to complete essential works in the Saltown estate in Dundalk.

The estate, near Fatima, is classified as unfinished but will now have work carried out on it to make it more presentable.

Speaking today, the Sinn Féin councillor said: “Louth County Council applied for this funding in February under the Unfinished Housing Development Special Resolution Fund and I am delighted that it has been approved. We should see parts of the estate resurfaced and essential works carried out.

“These one-time dream homes that in the past were in high demand have now turned into victims of the building boom bust where residents have had to suffer due to poor planning and development and sections of the unfinished phases of the development.”

Cllr Corrigan acknowledged that “the residents have worked hard together to improve the area and to have the bonds released to have the development finished. Hopefully this funding will go some way to achieving that. Works should be completed by the end of November.”

The Dundalk/Carlingford local election candidate said: “Everyone has the right to live in a decent, clean and peaceful environment. These people have been left in a building site so I am delighted that this money is coming and warmly welcome it.”

Local election count to be held in Redeemer centre

The Redeemer Centre in Dundalk

The count to determine the result of the local elections in Louth will be held entirely in the Redeemer Family Resource Centre in Dundalk, it has been revealed.

This means that candidates for Dundalk South, Dundalk-Carlingford, Mid-Louth and Drogheda will all have to travel there on May 24th to learn their fate.

The move has been criticised by Drogheda-based Labour Cllr Paul Bell, who told LMFM that having so much going on in one location could be “chaotic”.

He also says it puts a distance between voters in Drogheda and the count centre, adding that it would prevent people from coming along to see how the process works.