Surprise expressed at Fianna Fáil selection for North Offaly

After weeks of waiting and speculation, Fianna Fáil HQ has finally announced the names of the four candidates who will contest the council elections in the Edenderry local electoral area this June. The selection of four candidates to contest a six-seater area, and the locations of some of those candidates has caused surprise and anger among some of the party faithful. As expected, sitting councillor Noel Bourke will run again, along with popular Edenderry Town Councillor John Foley. Also on the ticket are Tom Nolan from Portarlington, a former councillor who lost his seat in 2004, and newcomer Ger Plunkett who was nominated by the Geashill cumann. After Ger Killally resigned the party whip last month, there was some surprise among locals that a candidate from the Rhode/Croghan area was not selected to pick up the FF votes there. The new six seater electoral area looks set to be a major battleground for Fianna Fáil as they will not only want to hold on to the seat vacated by Ger Killally, but also try and gain a third, due to the extra seat allocated after boundary changes were introduced last summer. However, Fine Gael candidate Michael Fox who"s elected in the Tullamore area and will now run in the Edenderry area, topped the poll the last time he ran in Edenderry. 'I"m very pleased to have been selected by party HQ to contest the elections with three of my colleagues,' said sitting councillor Noel Bourke. He said that although this will be a tough campaign for many Fianna Fáil candidates because of the economic climate, he intends to run a 'positive and constructive campaign'. 'Elections are always tough, but my approach is to be straight and honest with people. It"s not an easy time but I will explain things to people and make time for them,' he added. Cllr Bourke said he commiserated with those who didn"t get selected. 'Obviously I"d commiserate with those who put their names forward and didn"t get selected. There were a lot of good candidates and HQ could have picked any of them to run. But I understand the disappointment of some.' Tom Nolan has previous experience of local politics, as he was first co-opted onto the council back in 1990. He was re-elected in 1999 and lost his seat in the 2004 elections. He runs a garage in Garryhinch, Portarlington, while his brother MJ is a TD for Carlow/Kilkenny. 'I"m happy to be on the ticket but I"m sad for those who weren"t selected, I"ve lost conventions and elections so I know what it"s like. Hopefully they"ll succeed in the future,' said Mr Nolan. 'It"s a good sign for the party that so many sought nomination.' He said he wasn"t out to take anyone"s seat and believes that there"s enough votes in the area for both himself and newly-Independent (former PD) Cllr Eddie Fitzpatrick to get elected. 'I feel there"s room for a second seat in the area.' Ger Plunkett thinks the party picked their candidates not only on merit, but in a bid to cover all of the region. 'I"m absolutely thrilled to be selected, I"m delighted. I hope to do well in the Geashill and Ballinagar area,' said Mr Plunkett. 'I"m a first time candidate but I"ll give it 100% and my full focus. There is a genuine Fianna Fáil vote in the area. I"m looking forward to the challenge even though it"s a daunting one.' He said it was important that areas such as Portarlington, Ballinagar and Geashill were covered and represented by Fianna Fáil without too much emphasis on the Edenderry area. Town Councillors Noel Cribbin and Finian O"Neill were also interviewed in January, along with Stephen Mather and Fidelma Doolan, and all failed to get on the ticket. Rhode and Offaly footballer Niall McNamee and Chairman of Rhode Cumann Jody Gunning were also interviewed by HQ. 'I"m disappointed personally at not being selected,' said Cllr Noel Cribbin. 'There"s certainly room for three candidates to run in Edenderry, especially now that Ger Killally is gone and there"s no-one in the Rhode/Croghan area. I have no problem with the candidates selected but I feel we are selling ourselves short. Noel Bourke"s surplus the last time came back to a PD candidate.' Cllr O"Neill did not want to make a comment when contacted by the Offaly Independent yesterday (Thursday).