Full list of candidates for local elections in Mayo is revealed
The scene at the count centre in the TF Royal Theatre in Castlebar in June 2019 for the last Local and European Elections. The TF Royal Theatre will again host the counts for both elections next month.
Six seats are up for grabs in the Ballina Local Electoral Area, and with Independent Cllr Seamus Weir retiring, there will be at least one newcomer elected. It is a crowded field with 15 candidates.
Among those hoping to retain their seats are Fine Gael councillors John O’Hara and Jarlath Munnelly, while former Ballina Chamber President Hugh Rouse is the third Fine Gael candidate in Ballina.
Long-serving Fianna Fáil councillor Annie-May Reape is on the ballot once again, hoping to get elected for the seventh successive occasion. Current council Cathaoirleach Michael Loftus is in the running again while Killala-based David Alexander is also in the mix for Fianna Fáil.
Sinn Féin have opted to run two candidates — Antonio Cafolla and Una Morris.
There are seven Independents in the running. Cllr Mark Duffy will be hoping to retain his seat while Joe Faughnan is seeking to retain the Knockmore seat held by Seamus Weir since 1999. Willie Nolan, who was elected to Ballina Town Council in 1999, 2004 and 2009, is on the ballot once more, while Garie Beattie, Keith Howley, Joanne Mullen and Joe Doocey have also put themselves forward as Independent candidates.
The three-seater is likely to be one of the most keenly contested in Mayo.
It may be one of the smallest constituencies in the nation when it comes to available seats but the sprawling electoral area takes in Achill, Erris, and Mulranny.
There are a total of eight candidates competing with a number of new kids on the block endeavouring to topple a trio of returning councillors.
Fianna Fáil are running outgoing councillors Sean Carey and Michael McNamara in Belmullet and Achill respectively. Fine Gael are backing returning councillor Gerry Coyle and Tiernaur farmer Pat Chambers as their candidates in the coastal constituency.
Belmullet itself looks set to be the biggest battleground with Cllrs Coyle and Carey facing stern competition from Sinn Féin’s Rosaleen Lally and the Green Party’s Micheal O’Connell.
Both candidates may be new on the political scene but are familiar and well-regarded figures in their local area through their work and community involvement. Newcomers John Paul Carey and Jay Heneghan are also seeking seats.
The seven-seat constituency is the largest in the county and boasts 19 candidates.
All seven sitting councillors in Castlebar are seeking re-election, and while there are no new candidates put forward by Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, there are a host of newcomers from elsewhere hoping to upset the status quo.
Fine Gael’s Cyril Burke, Ger Deere and Donna Sheridan are back for another crack with Fianna Fáil’s Al McDonnell, Blackie Gavin, and Martin McLoughlin also seeking re-election.
Perennial poll-topper in the constituency, Independent Michael Kilcoyne rounds off the outgoing councillors.
Sinn Féin are running two candidates with Donna Hyland and Maura O’Sullivan striving to win back a seat for the party in Castlebar.
High-profile Independent candidates Harry Barrett, Stephen Kerr and Gerry Loftus have put their names on the ballot paper in the competitive Castlebar constituency. Brendan Lavelle, a well-known community activist from Keenagh, is also seeking election, as is Tom Moran, a retired aviation engineer.
Labour’s only Mayo candidate, Kamal Uddin return for another election tilt, while Shalomon Maksym, a lawyer, is also in the running.
Schoolteacher and People Before Profit representative Joe Daly is another candidate looking to build on past campaigns and Independent Ireland’s Donal Geraghty previously sought election back in 2014. Lahardane native Aidan Browne has been selected as the Social Democrats candidate in Mayo.
Thirteen candidates are competing for six seats in the Claremorris electoral area.
Fine Gael will be represented by outgoing councillors Michael Burke (Ballinrobe) and Tom Connolly (Claremorris), while Alma Gallagher will be looking to retain the Fine Gael seat in Ballyhaunis vacated by retired councillor John Cribbin.
Fianna Fáil have just two runners in the field with Cllr Damien Ryan (Ballinrobe) joined by Ballyhaunis-based running mate Stephen Nolan.
Patsy O’Brien topped the polls at the last local elections for Fine Gael. He has since departed the party and will be hoping that groundswell of support continues for him as an Independent candidate.
Veteran Claremorris Independent councillor Richard Finn is also seeking a return to the council chamber.
Aontu’s Paul Lawless, who previously stood in the 2020 general election, is in the mix and Sinn Féin recently selected Eamon Phelan to ensure they have a candidate in every electoral area in Mayo.
Claremorris native Mark Devane is among a number of Independent Ireland candidates seeking election in the county. Aaron Kelly is the sole representative from The Irish People Party to run in Mayo. Sandra Sweetman, a nurse from Claremorris, is running as an Independent.
New Ballinrobe-based candidate Geraldine Kelly is the remaining Independent candidate vying for election in Claremorris.
There are four seats available in the Swinford LEA with all four incumbents on the ballot and five additional candidates also vying for election. Sinn Féin Cllr Gerry Murray, who topped the poll in 2019, has John Sheahan as a running mate this time around.
Fine Gael have put forward two candidates for the local elections. Foxford-based Cllr Neil Cruise will be hoping to get reelected for a third term and he is joined on the ballot by Mayo’s only local election candidate in the 18-29 age bracket, Antoinette Peyton, from Swinford.
Kilkelly-based Cllr John Caulfield will be seeking reelection for Fianna Fáil, having been first elected in 2014. Cllr Adrian Forkan (Kiltimagh) was co-opted onto Mayo County Council in May 2023 following the early retirement of Michael Smyth and is set to contest his first election, having previously worked as Director of Elections for Mr Smyth.
Aontú’s are running two local election candidates in Mayo, Tommy Horan being one in the Swinford LEA.
Marion Gordon is running in the Swinford LEA for The Irish People, a party established in late 2023 to bring Independent candidates together under one banner. Sean Forkin, from Charlestown, is running again as an Independent.
Nine candidates will be each looking to claim one of four seats in the Westport LEA.
Fine Gael are the only party running two candidates in Westport with Cllr Peter Flynn seeking re-election. He is joined on the ballot by Keira Keogh, a first-time candidate.
Cllr Brendan Mulroy was selected as Fianna Fáil’s sole candidate to defend his seat in the Westport LEA.
Sinn Féin have opted for one candidate in Westport, Karen Gallagher. The Green Party are also running a single candidate. Peter Nolan is contesting the local elections in Westport for the Greens. Niall McCormack is running for the Irish Freedom Party.
Councillors Christy Hyland and John O’Malley are both on the ballot again as Independent candidates.
Chris Maxwell is also running as an Independent. He lost out narrowly to Cllr O’Malley in 2019 and could be a real contender if he gets a large vote from his native Louisburgh.
