The election of Galway’s first ever Black local representative and the emergence of a new force in local politics were among the standout stories to emerge this week after last Friday’s Local Election. Independent Ireland, one of the country’s newest political parties, secured six seats on Galway County Council – topping the poll in one area – while Helen Ogbu’s election made history as Galway’s first ever Black elected representative. Six Independents were elected, five fewer than in 2019 as Michael Fitzmaurice’s fledgling party, Independent Ireland, made big gains on its first electoral outing. Shaun Cunniffe made a return to the political stage in Tuam under the Independent Ireland banner, too, while co-opted councillor Declan Kelly had his first electoral success for the same stable in Loughrea LEA. In the city, Independent Ireland took no seats and lost its only sitting candidate, Noel Larkin, in City East.

Source: Irish Independent June 13, 2024 10:20 UTC