A KEY witness in the
Morris Tribunal, Ms Sheenagh McMahon, is to run as a
Green Party candidate in the local elections next
year in her hometown of Buncrana, Co Donegal.
Ms. McMahon whose revelations about her estranged
husband, former Detective Garda Noel McMahon, led to
the establishment of the tribunal, is to seek
election to both Buncrana Town Council and the
Inishowen electoral area of Donegal County Council.
The 47-year old who legally separated from her
husband in 2001, yesterday said she was looking
forward to the challenge.
"One of the main reasons I decided to get involved
in politics was because during my ordeal at the
tribunal, I found little support when I went looking
for help on a political level," she said.
"So if I get elected, I want to help empower people
in Buncrana and Inishowen to tackle their own
personal challenges. People don't realise how much
resilience and strength they have inside them."
She chose the Green Party because she feels the
Inishowen peninsula "needs a change".
"There has never been a Green Party councillor in
this area and I feel it's time for a change. I like
the party's principles and what they stand for and I
have always been interested in the environment. The
Greens want more renewable energy and recycling,
more decision-making at a community level and more
open government," she added.
Ms. McMahon is employed as a support worker with
women and child victims of domestic abuse in
Inishowen. She feels that becoming a councillor
would help her her "give something back".
"People in Buncrana and Inishowen were a tremendous
support to me during the tribunal ordeal and I feel
like I want to give them something back to them."
In 1999, Ms McMahon, a mother of three sons,
revealed that her husband made and planted homemade
explosives, later claiming them as significant IRA
finds, to further his career . She spent five days
in the Morris Tribunal witness box and described
this episode in her life as "the most horrific
experience".
Green Party secretary in Donegal, Frank Gallagher,
confirmed Ms. McMahon will be among five candidates
who will seek election for the party in the county's
two constituencies next year. Her candidacy will be
ratified by party headquarters in the coming weeks. |
