Election fever begins in hotly contested North Tipperary

With the announcement of a date for the 2024 General Election expected this week in North Tipperary, the race is on to win one of three seats in a large constituency where a hotly contested competition is expected.

After Tipperary North and South were united into a five seater single constituency for the 2016 and 2020 General Elections, the county has once again been split into two three-seater constituencies for the upcoming election.

One seat is up for grabs in both constituencies, with two sitting TD's fighting to keep their seats in North and South Tipperary. Fianna Fáil's Jackie Cahill announced his retirement from politics on health grounds - opening up a seat for what is expected to be a younger party colleague.

The local elections in June saw many Independent candidates top the polls, with 14 candidates elected. The two largest parties were Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael with ten candidates elected each, with Labour next with three candidates followed by Sinn Féin at two and Workers and Unemployed at one.

The local elections may have been a prelude to what will happen in the general election, where the Labour Party gained two new councillors and Fianna Faíl also gained a seat, making them equal in size to Fine Gael.

Sinn Fein, who enjoyed a surge in popularity in the last general election, appear to be struggling in Tipperary with no new councillors elected.

South Tipperary has two sitting TDs in Martin Browne (SF) and Mattie McGrath (Ind) and in North Tipperary, Labour's Alan Kelly and consistent poll-topper, Independent, Michael Lowry, are both contesting the election.

In North Tipperary the two sitting TD's will be joined in the fight by the yet to be announced Fianna Fáil candidate, with Fine Gael's Cllr Phyll Bugler from Ballina, Iva Pocock from the Green Party, Thurles Independent Jim Ryan and Sinn Fein's, Dan Harty.

Fianna Fáil Councillor Michael Smith announced his candidacy on Tuesday night - he secured the highest first preference percentage vote in the entire county of Tipperary in the summer local election, which was 29%, for the third successive local election for a seat on Tipperary County Council and he has now set his sights on the Dáil - following in the footsteps of his father, Michael Smith Snr., the former Minister for Defence.

Cllr Smith first won a seat on North Tipperary County Council 20 years ago and has been re-elected in every local election he has contested since then, topping the poll in 2009, 2014, 2019 and again in the June 2024 local elections.

The North Tipperary constituency will include a portion of north-west County Kilkenny in the general election, which may create some interesting twists in how candidates poll across this new territory.  

THE NEXT GENERATION

One North Tipperary election hopeful sees potential in that territorial change and last week secured the endorsement of Kilkenny county councillors - receiving the support of all three County Councillors who represent the Municipal District of Castlecomer.

Fighting hard to win the nomination to contest the vacancy created by Fianna Fáil's Jackie Cahill is young and popular newly elected Councillor, Cloughjordan native Ryan O'Meara, who last week  secured the endorsement of Cllrs Michael Delaney, Pat Fitzpatrick and Michael McCarthy in his bid to become the Fianna Fáil candidate.

He was elected a councillor for the Nenagh and Borrisokane - Lower Ormond area of Tipperary County Council in June and launched his campaign to contest next weekend's North Tipperary / Northwest Kilkenny Fianna Fáil selection convention over the weekend.

Speaking at his campaign launch in the Abbey Court Hotel, Nenagh last night, the energetic 29-year old said: "I have spent the last week canvassing Fianna Fáil members right across North Tipperary and Northwest Kilkenny and I will continue to do so until I speak to each and every member in advance of next weekend's decision by our membership.

"I want to be a new, fresh, young, and unapologetically ambitious voice for what we can collectively achieve for North Tipperary and Northwest Kilkenny, together in Dáil Éireann. It is time for a new generation of politicians in our area. I want to lead the charge in delivering the unwavering and dedicated public service from our politicians that we all deserve."

"My slogan during last June's local elections was: 'Ag obair i dtreo ár dtodhchaí'. 'Working towards our future' is just as relevant in this General Election as it was last June, and I want to be a progressive, new voice in Dáil Éireann for our party and for the people of North Tipperary and Northwest Kilkenny," Ryan O'Meara said.

Councillor Ryan O'Meara and Deputy Jackie Cahill

Guest speakers on the night included Deputy Jackie Cahill TD, Cllr Kay Cahill Skehan (Thurles), James O'Connor TD (Cork East), as well as former Tipperary County Councillors, Mattie Ryan Coole (Curreeny), Jim Casey (Cloughjordan), John Sheehy (Ballina), and Tom Harrington (Nenagh).

Messages of support on the night were received from former Fianna Fáil TD for North Tipperary, Máire Hoctor; and Cllr Michael McCarthy, Cathaoirleach of Kilkenny County Council and Fianna Fáil County Councillor in the Castlecomer Local Electoral Area.

CARBERRY AND BUGLER VISIT ROSCREA

MEP and former champion jockey Nina Carberry hit the campaign trail in Roscrea this week, when on Saturday she teamed up with Fine Gael General election candidate Cllr. Dr. Phyll Bugler to join in the Fine Gael canvass in the town.

Nina Carberry told people in Roscrea she met on Main Street she is ‘’asking everyone in North Tipperary and in Roscrea to vote for Cllr. Phyll Bugler." 

"The only way to guarantee Simon Harris is Taoiseach if that is what you want - is to make sure Phyll Bugler is a TD in North Tipperary,’’ she said.

Cllr Bugler said she was delighted with the response that ‘’myself, my team and Nina Carberry have received in Roscrea town today".

"It has been great to engage with the local residents and businesses on the issues in their
lives. I was born and bread just out the road in Clonmore and Roscrea is our local town, so I know it well and I know the people and issues here very well, and if elected I will work with the locals to try and help improve the town and the services available on a continual
basis’’

Cllr. Willie Kennedy and former Roscrea councillor, Denis Ryan also joined the campaign team in Roscrea and were also accompanied by former Senator, TD and County Councillor, Noel Coonan.

Cllr Phyll Bugler and Nina Carberry visited Roscrea to campaign for support for Fine Gael in the upcoming 2024 General Election.