Take a look at Tipperary's new Local Election candidates hoping to snag a seat in June

Seven into four doesn’t go but unlike a lot of areas in the Tipperary Local Elections, Newport has a big battle coming with at least one of the four newcomers set to become a new face for the Newport LEA in the Nenagh Municipality.

The retirement of the long-serving John “Rocky” McGrath leaves quite a void, and it will have all four licking their lips and - with good work on the campaign trail over the last few weeks and months - they will all feel that they have a great chance to make it at the first time of asking.

In the last election in 2019, there was a huge battle for the four seats with the long-serving figure of Mattie Ryan “Coole” losing out by a narrow margin with John Carroll pipping him to the fourth seat after the second and third count and it brought an end to Ryan’s three-decade stint as a local councillor for the Newport LEA.

In that election, two other candidates ran who have not thrown their hats in the ring this time around in Teresa Collins (Sinn Féin) and Anne Rose White (Green Party) but they were never in the mix.

So, with the absence of both Mattie Ryan and “Rocky” McGrath from the ballot, it will be very interesting to see who can take a run at challenging the big three in Fiona Bonfield, Phyll Bugler, and John Carroll.

Some of the key issues the candidates will have used to convince voters to swing their way will circle around the issues of housing, healthcare services, and the issue of road conditions which is a long-standing issue in the Newport LEA with some of the most under-tended rural roads in the county.

Sinn Féin candidate Gavin Ryan is running and taking the flag from Teresa Collins who ran in the 2019 election, and he highlighted that locals have voiced their concerns over the aforementioned issues along with the University of Limerick Hospital crisis, drainage issues, as well as a lack of a garda presence in rural areas of the Newport LEA.

He will face stiff competition from the three Independent candidates with Pamela Quirke O’Meara the one with the most high-profile backing from Deputy Michael Lowry who has spoken of his “delight” that the Templederry native will be in the shake up, and Quirke O’Meara has stated she will be hoping to follow in his footsteps and service the community in a similar manner.

As a family learning coordinator, she has a particular focus on helping families struggling in the community.
Eddie O’Gorman of Ballina/Killaloe has become the latest in the lakeside town to take on the challenge of local politics, and he has called for a multi-faceted approach to housing, including social housing, affordable housing, and streamlined planning permission processes.

O’Gorman has also called for the immediate reopening of Shannon Doc and the establishment of a 24-hour A&E in Nenagh to improve healthcare accessibility for residents.

Finally, David Ahern of Portroe will be keen to get his seat at the Nenagh MD table, and as a person with a life-changing illness - diagnosed four years ago - he wants to represent and serve the most vulnerable people in the community and wishes to promote transparency and accountability in local government.

David is running a non-poster campaign and due to his disability, has been unable to canvas in person but has done so through other means.

All four candidates will have the leg work done and they will be hoping they have done enough come June 7.