It was announced this week that former town and county councillor Ronan Sheehan has returned to local politics.
Ronan will take the reins in the Mallow Local Electoral Area as the co-opted replacement for newly-elected TD Eoghan Kenny, who has vacated the seat as he moves on to pastures new in Dáil Éireann. Commenting on the news, Deputy Kenny said: “I am delighted that our former councillor, Ronan Sheehan, will be co-opted to Cork County Council, following my election to Dáil Éireann.
“Ronan’s appointment to Cork County Council is one that will be of great benefit to the people of Mallow. Ronan, having been born and bred in Mallow, having hurled for Mallow, and having been involved in many community organisations over the years will allow for the town of Mallow to have greater representation now on both Cork County Council and in Dáil Eireann.
“Ronan will be working closely with me as the TD and Una Sherlock in our constituency office. It is of great benefit to the people of Mallow that we now have a TD and councillor from the town directly representing them on a local and national level, including the retention of a Dáil constituency office in Mallow.”
Ronan expressed his happiness at being selected to return to the council, saying: “I’m delighted to be given the opportunity once again to represent the people of Mallow and its hinterlands on Cork County Council. I’m very much looking forward to working with Eoghan, Una and the office for the benefit of people.’
Ronan brings a wealth of experience to the role, having previously been elected to Cork County Council in 2009 before losing his seat by a narrow margin five years later. In addition, he served on Mallow Town Council before its abolition in 2014.
Deputy Kenny’s Dáil colleague, Independent Ireland’s Ken O’Flynn, announced meanwhile that his father Noel, himself a former TD from 1997 to 2011, would be his co-opted replacement for the Cork City North East LEA on Cork City Council.