Laois Fine Gael man makes General Election statement with poll-topping show

The 2024 local election result from Borris-in-Ossory Moutmellick could leave a significant mark on Laois politics at a national level for years to come.

Conor Bergin emerged from the pack of 15 candidates to comfortably top the poll in the sprawling electoral district for Fine Gael. While not elected on the first count, his showing must cement his position as a frontrunner to win his party's nomination to replace Charlie Flanagan when the next General Election rolls around.

Long speculated as a Dáil candidate, Cllr Bergin hedged his bets when Dep Flanagan announced last September that he would run again.

Who knows what the Borris-in-Ossory man was saying to voters while out canvasing but constituents would likely have been aware of his national ambitions. Arguably, this would have had some impact on his poll-topping performance.

While he was coy with the media about his plans before voting, Cllr Bergin was not so hesitant when it came to plans in the count centre in Portlaoise even before being elected in declaring he would consider a tilt a getting his party's backing to contest at the national poll.

Other than implications for Cllr Bergin there were also some big results to emerge from voting in this district.

Leading the way was the performance of Paddy Buggy who was returning to electoral politics after contesting in the Portlaoise area in 2009. The last time he ran the Fine Gael candidate came narrowly out on the wrong side of a titanic contest with Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald.

His return in 2024 was in his natural stomping ground of Mountmellick where he ran a campaign based on getting a councillor elected for the town alongside Cllr Paddy Bracken of Fianna Fáil. MORE BELOW PICTURE.

Cllr Seamus McDonald celebrates with supporters. Pic: Alf Harvey

Mr Buggy knew his best chance of winning a seat was to dethrone Cllr Seamus McDonald of Fianna Fáil. The Rosenallis-based councillor has represented his constituents in County Hall for nearly four decades and eyed a historic return.

His first preference vote held up on but the arrival of Mr Buggy on the scene undermined his chances.

In Cllr McDonald's favour was the number of Fianna Fáil candidates in the field. Apart from Cllr Bracken, he was able to draw support from Brian Phelan, Declan Good, Fint Cuddy who all polled less than him on first preference votes.

Those were the big stories from a Municipal District where two independents were returned to County Hall. MORE BELOW PICTURE.

Cllr James Kelly celebrates in Portlaoise. Pic: Alf Harvey

Cllr James Kelly strong electoral base in the Mountrath area is a massive foundation to build on. Being an indpendent has worked in his favour as a councillor as he can operate in other areas as a councillor. One example is his membship on the Rathdowney Town Team.

Cllr Kelly scored votes heavily in Mountrath but scooped many others up from right around the district.  

Cllr Ollie Clooney came out of the blue in 2019 to win a seat. His strategy then was to target Durrow and its hinterland which proved wise and a formula.

The independent stepped back into the fray this time with a similar strategy. While he faced some greater oppositon to the last time, with Fianna Fáil eyeing some of his votes, the Durrow man saw off pretenders once again. MORE BELOW PIC.

Cllr Ollie Clooney celebrates with Cllr Paddy Bracken and others. Pic: Alf Harvey

Cllr Paddy Bracken was a favourite to be returned for Fianna Fáil. Some two decades in County Hall meant that his vote was built on sold foundations in Mountmellick where he has served as the town's sole councillor since 2014 when local Government was reformed. Mountmellick Town Council was scrapped that year.

Another man who will be happy with his performance is Cllr John King of Fine Gael. He went into the vote with more opponents on his doorstep in Rathdowney and its hinterland than previously. Any danger to his seat never materialised as he secured a substantial rump of votes to be returned for five more years of service. MORE BELOW PICTURE.

Cllr John King celebrates with supporters. Pic: Alf Harvey

So to the also-rans.

A lot has been made of the Laois the Sinn Féin strategy of running too many candidates around Ireland and it backfiring.
Helen Campion was a first-time SF candidate running alongside Lorna Holohan Garry who was trying for the second time.

It's arguably unlikely that even if the party ran just one candidate there would have been enough votes to win a seat in this area. Ms Campion was based in the Rathdowney area and Ms Holohan Garry focused on the Mountmellick Slieve Bloom end of the area. The votes would hardy have travelled if one had not run.

Fianna Fáil candidates Brian Phelan, Fint Cuddy and Declan Good had varying degrees of success but all with the same outcome of not realising their election ambitions.

Brian Phelan is the son of former councillor, Brendan. His contesting of the election for the party represented a mending of ways with the Phelan family and Fianna Fáil.

Brendan was returned as an independent in 2014 after failing to be nominated by FF. He lost his seat as an independent in 2019 ending many years of the family having a seat on the council. His son will be disappointed not to have reignited the political flame. Still young, Mr Phelan may try again.

For a first-time candidate, Fint Cuddy put in a respectable performance with a relatively good showing, especially around his Castletown base. It may set him up for a future tilt.

Declan Good contested for a second time for Fianna Fáil but the outcome was similar to 2019 for the Clonaslee-based candidate. More below picture.

Pictured: Brian Phelan, Seamus McDonald and Declan Good. Pic: Alf Harvey

Brian Corrigan ran an active campaign for the Labour Party in the district aimed at winning support in Mountmellick. He ventured beyond the town in search of votes but to no avail.

The Green Party had a bad election in Laois and nationally. Fiona Dunne failed to register an impact in this district.
Kevin Drennan made a late start in the campaign but an early beginning may have made no impact on the outcome.