Fine Gael councillor John Paul O’Shea was finally successful in his bid for Dáil Éireann, getting over the line last weekend at the third time of asking.
The Lombardstown native had come agonisingly close to becoming a TD in 2016 and 2020, ultimately missing out on both occasions. However, 2024 saw O’Shea win out in the end, pipping Fine Gael party colleague Michael Creed, cousin of the retiring TD of the same name, to one of the three seats at the Cork North-West constituency count at Mallow GAA Complex last Saturday. O’Shea ultimately finished in second place in the final standings, ahead of Fianna Fáil rival Michael Moynihan, with both behind Michael’s party colleague Aindrias Moynihan. Sinn Féin Nicole Ryan and Becky Kealy of Aontú put up a brave fight but the Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael dominance in the area was always going to be tough to penetrate.
One of the biggest stories of Election 2024, meanwhile, came out of Cork North-Central, as Mallow councillor Eoghan Kenny became the youngest member of Dáil Eireann at just 24 years of age – becoming the first TD to have been born in the 21st century in the process – in a tense, dramatic tussle at the count centre in Nemo Rangers that wasn’t fully resolved until Monday afternoon. Deputy Kenny of Labour ultimately saw off the strong challenge of incumbent TD Mick Barry of Solidarity-People Before Profit to claim the final seat, joining Thomas Gould (Sinn Féin), Pádraig O’Sullivan (Fianna Fáil), Colm Burke (Fine Gael) and Ken O’Flynn (Indep-endent Ireland) as the representatives for Cork North-Central in Leinster House.
In Cork East, incumbent TDs, Sinn Féin’s Pat Buckley and James O’Connor of Fianna Fáil were re-elected. With David Stanton and Seán Sherlock opting not to seek re-election, there were two spots up for grabs, and these were duly occupied by Cllr. Noel McCarthy of Fine Gael and Social Democrat councillor Liam Quaide, with David Stanton’s son Mark among the names to miss out.
There was no change to the status quo in Limerick County. As anticipated, all three outgoing TDs – Patrick O’Donovan (Fine Gael), Richard O’Donoghue (Independent Ireland) and Niall Collins (Fianna Fáil) were returned by the electorate to serve in the 34th Dáil. Joanne Collins of Sinn Féin was the next highest candidate, but was ultimately too far behind the strongly-fancied trio of incumbents to threaten.
In four-seater Limerick City, Willie O’Dea (Fianna Fáil), Maurice Quinlivan (Sinn Féin), Kieran O’Donnell (Fine Gael) and Councillor Conor Sheehan (Labour) were elected. Outgoing TD Brian Leddin (Green Party) lost his seat.
The Deputies, old and new, will travel to Leinster House for the first sitting of the 34th Dáil on Wednesday 18th December.
For our extensive General Election coverage, see pages 42-53 inside.