Local Sinn Féin aspirant, Padraig Hegarty has now been officially selected to contest the forthcoming local election in the Athlone local election area.
The convention proceeded last week in the Lakeside Marina with a crowd laden room giving the unanimous support to the up and coming council hopeful. Three other candidates were selected for three other election areas, namely, Mullingar, Kinnegad and Moate.
Returning to the fore as candidates for the party are incumbents, Una D’Arcy O’Neill and Sorca Clarke. However, a new candidate to the scene is Peter Judge who will be contesting the Moate seat. All aspirants gave rousing and sometimes emotional speeches, Hegarty spoke with passion about his pride of place in Athlone and how he wanted a level playing field for all and for those whose voices are often disregarded or ignored that he would listen and act to the best of his ability.
With resounding and unwavering support, the candidacy was bestowed upon the Baylough native and as his nearest and dearest stood beside him as he was selected, there was an obvious look of pride on his fathers face, Aidan Hegarty, the well known taxi driver from Athlone.
Local Athlone Cumann member, Sean Barr proposed Hegarty and attested to the vigour that he would bring to the role. There is no doubt that it will be an uphill battle for all the new faces seeking election. Padraig, however, has been a very active face for the past 16 years. The ballot this year is set to be a crowded page, with many of the incumbents likely to return plus the addition of Green Party and Social Democrats candidates.
