Two Birr LEA Councillors to seek General Election nominations

FINE Gael's Councillor John Clendennen and Fianna Fáil's Councillor Peter Ormond, who both recently polled extremely strongly in the Local Elections, have announced their candidacy for their parties' nominations in the upcoming General Election Selection Conventions. Both the Birr Local Electoral Area politicians confirmed to The Midland Tribune this week that they will be throwing their hats into the ring.
Cllr Ormond enjoyed a stunning performance in the Local Elections which saw him receive 1,943 number ones, a personal best for the athletics enthusiast from Shinrone. He was first elected to the County Council 25 years ago. Back then he stood as an independent and secured 978 first preferences, coming second on the first count behind Fine Gael's Olwyn Enright. After he joined Fianna Fáil his fortunes at the polls continued to soar. In 2004 he topped the poll with 1,067 votes and in 2009 he did so again with 1,481. Ten years ago he polled 1,598 and in 2019 he soared to 1,729. Remarkably, he added over 200 more in 2024.
The affable Shinrone man says he really enjoys his work as a County Councillor. His success he puts down to hard work on the ground. “I have a rural area in south Offaly that I work very hard for and I always look forward to helping people and assisting people,” he says. For the second local election in a row he had no town to canvass. He canvassed purely rural areas, Moneygall, Dunkerrin, Clyduff, Shinrone, Coolderry, Roscomroe, Killavilla, into Kinnitty and Cadamstown.
He also contested a Seanad election in 2007 and ran for the Dáil in 2020. In the run-up to every general election his name is mentioned as a potential Fianna Fáil candidate and that speculation was reignited when Barry Cowen was elected to the European Parliament in June, potentially prompting a Laois-Offaly by-election.
Cllr Ormond said the date of the Fianna Fáil Selection Convention hasn't been announced yet but it will probably be in September.
The Fine Gael Selection Convention will be taking place on August 29th in Tullamore and Cllr Clendennen told the Tribune that he will be putting his name forward for selection on that day. Cllr Neil Feighery, the poll topper in Tullamore LEA during the June 7th Local Election will also be putting his name forward. The Fine Gael Executive Council has mandated that all the constituency selection conventions are held by September 22nd, 2024.
Cllr Clendennen was first elected to Offaly County Council in 2014, following in the footsteps of his father Percy, himself a long-serving member (forty years) on Offaly County Council. John owns and manages Giltraps Pub and Glamping Accommodation in his home village of Kinnitty. He returned to Kinnitty following a successful career in the five star hospitality industry both at home and abroad. He holds a Degree in Business Studies and Hotel Management and a Masters Degree in Marketing. In his spare time one of his favourite pastimes is GAA, particularly hurling, and he was delighted when he achieved a childhood dream of winning a Leinster Minor Hurling Championship with Offaly, in Croke Park in 2000.
After being elected on June 7th, Cllr Clendennen said it's a great honour to be elected to Offaly County Council. “I’m both proud and humbled to receive such an endorsement with 1,558 first preference votes,” he remarked, “and the many more preference votes throughout the count process.” He said he has worked tirelessly for communities across the Birr Municipal District and is fully committed to continue working for Offaly, all of which would not be possible “without the support of my family and my many supporters.”
The former Laois-Offaly constituency will no longer exist in the next General Election. In 2023, the Electoral Commission recommended the establishment of a three seat constituency of Offaly, comprising the entire county of Offaly on its own.