Fianna Fail has confirmed the party’s selection for the Tuam Municipal Council area – and it does not include former Galway East TD Colm Keaveney.

While he was nominated to go forward, he had already informed party headquarters that he will not be a candidate.

So sitting councillors Donagh Killilea, Joe Sheridan and Mary Hoade will be joined on the ticket by Tom Quirke from Abbeyknockmoy in the seven-seater electoral area.

Mr Quirke, who has been living in Barnaderg for the past 18 years, has a background in Macra and is an accountant and financial advisor by profession.

He is also a well-known opponent of large-scale wind farms in rural areas and has called for the regulation regarding these developments.

Currently Fianna Fail hold four of the seven seats with the remainder being held by Fine Gael’s Pete Roche and Andrew Reddington with Cllr Karey McHugh having the independent seat.

The Fianna Fail convention was called for the purpose of selecting candidates to contest the local elections for the Tuam Municipal District area, which will be held on June 7.

Deputy Eamon Ó Cuiv, who chaired the meeting, paid tribute to the local LEA for their work in getting four candidates elected in 2019 and he also paid tribute to Cllr Keaveney for his work locally as he was stepping back from a long career in political life at both local and national level.

The three outgoing councillors were deemed selected, and the meeting proposed the addition of Tom Quirke to contest as the fourth candidate. This was endorsed by both the meeting and the three outgoing councillors.

“There are very few areas that have such an advantageous geographical spread between candidates and the natural boundaries lend well to what could well be the delivery of another four seats in this area,” Deputy Ó Cuiv told delegates.

The Galway West TD said that Mary Hoade is well placed in the Headord/Caherlistrane area, Donagh Killilea in Tuam/Belclare area, Joe Sheridan in Milltown/Dunmore area and Tom Quirke in Abbeyknockmoy/Barnaderg area.

Pictured at the Tuam area selection convention were (back) Deputy Eamon O Cuiv, Cllr Joe Sheridan, Cllr Donagh Killilea, Cllr Mary Hoade, Tom Quirke, who has been selected to run and Tom Reilly, Chairman of the FF Tuam area. Front: Deputy Barry Cowan, Cllr Ollie Crowe and Senator Niall Blaney.