Young people ‘feel alienated’ from Irish political system
Newly-elected Offaly County Councillor Sandra Feehan Smollen, who was co-opted to the local authority this week, has pledged to work towards getting more young people involved in politics.
The Clara native becomes only the second female member of the 19-strong council, and will fill the vacancy created by her husband, Ken, who announced his decision to step down as a public representative due to health reasons.
“It breaks my heart to hear more and more young people saying there's no point in voting as it won't change anything,” says Cllr Feehan Smollen. “We don't put half enough emphasis on the importance of voting.”
The new Councillor, who was proposed by Social Democrats Cllr Claire Claffey, and seconded by Independent Cllr Sean O'Brien, at Monday's meeting of Offaly County Council, says a lot of young people “feel alienated” from the political system and she has pledged to work towards getting more young people involved in politics locally.
Her late parents, Catch and Carmel (nee Cunningham) had “a huge interest in politics” she says, and she has inherited that trait, having worked closely alongside her husband since he was first elected to Offaly County Council in 2019 and also serving as his election agent.
“Ken and I are of the same mind, and he plans to work closely alongside me during my time on the council,” she says, adding that she has been telling her supporters all this week that they are now “getting two for the price of one” with her co-option onto the council!
Known locally and to her family as Sandy, Cllr Feehan Smollen has made her home in her native Clara for almost a quarter of a century having lived in Tullamore for many years where she and Ken reared their two daughters, Keira, who lives in Killybegs, county Donegal and Leonie who lives in Clara. The couple also has six grandchildren.
Cllr Feehan Smollen said she “never once” envisaged become a councillor, despite the fact that she was “100% behind Ken” in all his dealings with constituents and has also been very actively involved in her own right with numerous local organisations.
She is the current chair of Clara Swimming Pool; vice-chair of Clara Tidy Towns; a member of the Clara Town First Team and Clara Regeneration Project; secretary of Clara Badminton Club and was also closely involved with Offaly Badminton Club for many years and she also served as chair of Clara Community Games for a long number of years.
She is acutely aware of the “huge level of suffering” being endured by many people at the moment, particularly those living in what she describes as “dire accommodation” and suffering from food poverty, and she hopes to continue the work of her husband with the Ken Smollen Food Appeal charity.
“I don't believe in waffle, if I have something to say I will say it, and then I will stop talking because there is a lot of work to be done,” she says, “once people know you are genuine I think they will give you a chance. All I can do is do my best and I fully intend to give this job 100% for as long as I'm doing it.”