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Councillor confirms he's standing
down
18.07.08
McConalogue proposed
as replacement
by Liam Porter, Inishowen
Independent
INISHOWEN is now certain to have at least two new
councillors following next year’s local elections
following confirmation at the weekend that
councillor Denis McGonagle will not contest the
election next year.
Speaking to the Inishowen Independent yesterday,
councillor McGonagle said he had spoken to the local
Cumainn at the weekend and had informed them of his
decision. |
“I addressed the
Carndonagh, Glentogher and Glassalts Cumainn at the
weekend and let them know that due to health and age
grounds I would not be seeking to contest the
election next year.”
Councillor McGonagle said that the local Fianna Fail
members had subsequently agreed to put forward a
possible replacement for the long-serving
councillor.
“With the elections approaching very quickly it was
important to try to put forward somebody and I am
fully behind the choice of Charlie McConalogue,”
councillor McGonagle said. |
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At the meeting the
local members nominated Charlie McConalogue to go
forward for nomination as a Fianna Fáil candidate in
next years Local Elections.
A son of the late Willie Joe McConalogue and Mary
McConalogue, Carrowmore, he studied economics,
politics and history at UCD before going on to work
with Fianna Fáil Headquarters as the Party's
Political Organiser for the Leinster Region. |
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Speaking with party
members at the cumainn meeting, Charlie said that he
was honoured to be nominated to go forward for
selection and pledged, if successful, to work hard
to retain a seat for the area. He will seek a
nomination later this year when the Fianna Fail
Party hold a convention to select their candidates
for next year’s elections.
Meanwhile outgoing councillor Denis McGonagle who
said he will continue to work for the party has
thanked all of the party members and fellow
councillors for their |
support over the years.
“I’ve enjoyed a long run as a councillor and I’m
thankful to everyone who has helped me over the
years, both party members and fellow councillors
over the years. I’m looking forward to my final year
in the chamber but to be honest I’m also looking
forward to the rest,” he said.
Meanwhile the Fianna Fail party whip on the council,
Francis Conaghan, yesterday praised councillor
McGonagle’s service to the Inishowen peninsula and
in particular the people of the greater Carndonagh
area.
“When Denis lost his seat in 1999 by just fourteen
votes he continued to work on the ground for the
people and it was obvious that the work paid off
when he was comfortably returned at the last local
elections.”
Describing councillor McGonagle as ‘ a voice of
great experience,’ councillor Conaghan said he was
delighted to have become great friends with the Carn
councillor over the years.
“As a colleague I want to pay tribute to Denis for
his years of great service and it’s nice to see him
take a personal decision to wind down what has been
a very hard working political career,” he concluded. |
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