13 Presidential hopefuls seek Tipperary council nomination ahead of the upcoming election

The date is set, Ireland will go to the polls to elect its next President on 24 October. What remains uncertain is whose names will make it onto the ballot paper.

At present, Heather Humphreys and Catherine Connolly are the only officially confirmed candidates. But Tipperary County Council has already received 13 requests for its nomination. Each of those hopefuls will be asked to deliver a five-minute presentation and answer questions at a special meeting of the council, with the date due to be confirmed next Monday.

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Among those seeking a nomination are:

• Gareth Sheridan, a 35-year-old millionaire backed by local councillors, along with Clonmel man Nick Delahanty.
• Professor Dr Joseph Chikelue Obi from Cavan, who was previously suspended for professional misconduct at a British hospital.
• Dominic Plant from Wicklow, an IT worker who has unsuccessfully contested both local and Dáil elections in the Tánaiste’s constituency.
• Lorna McCormack from Meath, a sustainability advocate, social care worker and community leader.
• Paudie Dineen, a Cork City councillor with ten years’ service.
• Cabdi Ní Chianáin (Charlotte Keenan), a farmer, artist and sports psychologist based in Westmeath.
• Dr Cora Stack, a lecturer in mathematics at Technological University Dublin.
• Sarah Louise Mulligan, a 42-year-old Dubliner who calls herself Ireland’s biggest Donald Trump supporter.
• Donncha MacGabhann, a retired art teacher from Limerick.
• Walter Ryan-Purcell, an unsuccessful Independent Ireland candidate in Cork North West.
• Billy O’Connell, whose background remains unclear.
• And finally, Barry Wheely-Row, a Kerry wheelbarrow that is said to be the alter ego of writer Stephen Murphy – though producing an Irish passport and proof of age may prove difficult.