Three weeks ago Kilkenny County Council welcomed its newest member, 27-year-old Jane Galway, who replaces Pat O’Neill in the Thomastown electoral area.
The intervening time has been something of a baptism of fire for the new councillor, with four council meetings in her first week alone. As she settles into her new role Councillor Galway has her to-do list already made out.
“My priority will be to work hard for the people of Kilkenny and the Thomastown electoral area. The main focus is to create and sustain local jobs. That’s what we need, that’s what the people are crying out for.”
For Cllr Galway, who also teaches at St Kieran’s College, this issue clearly strikes very close to home. Her own fiancé was recently forced to leave Ireland in search of employment opportunities.
“He’s working in Canada at the moment, as the amount of work in his field here is limited – he’s an electrical engineer. It really saddens me to see my friends and family having to travel abroad to look for work,” she says.
“I think that developing tourism will be absolutely key to creating and sustaining jobs in Kilkenny.”
The newly co-opted councillor points to the myriad tourist attractions of Bennettsbridge and the Thomastown electoral area, including Duiske Abbey, Mosse Pottery, and Jerpoint Abbey.
The Galways are a well-known hurling family from Bennettsbridge, where Cllr Galway is currently building her new house.
“I still have a huge interest in hurling and would go to as many GAA matches as possible. I’ve even converted a Tipp man to the local GAA club, so that’s a big achievement,” she says, referring to her fiancé, who hails from Tipperary.
Prior to the events of the last two weeks the young secondary school teacher has been active in the Fine Gael cause for years now. Having canvassed for Senator Pat O’Neill, Minister Phil Hogan, and Deputy John Paul Phelan during Kilkenny’s past local elections, she had a fair idea what she was getting herself into. Nevertheless it was no easy task.
“It’s a very different story canvassing for yourself – the pressure is immense. I have such admiration for people who go through a full-blown election, the time and effort required is incredible.”
‘Kilkenny County Council is outstanding in its representation of women, and that’s a huge source of pride for me’
The eldest of three children, Cllr Galway studied history in University College Cork, and it was there that she learned of the history of the Fine Gael political party. But there is, as is often the case, a precedent of political involvement going back through the family.
“I’ve always had an interest in politics, my family would have created a huge interest in it,” she says. “On both sides, my grandfathers have both been involved in the local Bennettsbridge branch of the Fine Gael party, and helped to foster that sense of awareness within me.”
Kilkenny is no stranger to young councillors with political dynasties behind their names. But despite her genealogical history in politics, Cllr Galway is the first elected representative in the family tree.
At just 27 years old Cllr Galway displaces Fianna Fail councillor Andrew McGuinness as the youngest member of the county council. She was proposed by fellow female Fine Gael councillor Mary Hilda Kavanagh following some prosaic words about what Ms Galway might bring to the council.
“It was nice, she made a great statement about glamour, but I wouldn’t consider myself remotely glamorous to be honest,” says Cllr Galway.
“I think I was elected by the Thomastown electoral area for the reason that I’m a young, enthusiastic, capable woman who will represent them well.”
Pat O’Neill, now Senator, initially asked her if she would consider putting her name forward for the position.
“It’s something that I had to put a lot of thought into with my family and fiancé, it was something that I decided I would love to do, and something I thought I would be really good at, so I had a couple of weeks then to canvass for the convention.”
The co-opting convention itself was a close affair. However following the transfer of second choice votes Ms Galway was the clear winner. She had strong competition – John Meaney and Willie Barron are both capable contenders, and both have run on past occasions.
Her own reasons for contesting are varied, but at the root of the decision is an impassioned desire for a more diverse range of influential voices in Irish politics.
“When I canvassed before for Minister Hogan and John Paul Phelan, it struck me that most of the members were men, maybe middle aged. I think we need every sort of person involved in politics, people of all types, ages, and more females involved,” she says.
As of Cllr Galway’s co-option last week, Kilkenny County Council boasts the highest proportion of female to male councillors on any county council in both Ireland and the United Kingdom.
Of the 26 councillors, eight – nearly one third – are women. Six of these, including Cllr Galway, are Fine Gael party members.
“Kilkenny County Council is outstanding in its representation of women, and that’s a huge source of pride for me,” she says.
“The only way to get more females and more young people involved in politics is to have someone there as a role model, because it’s daunting, it’s hard to put your name forward in any case. But if you think you’re the only one, it’s twice as hard.”
But as Kilkenny appears to be setting the standard for political gender equality, Ms Galway’s election as councillor surely raises the issue of whether or not the much-debated ‘gender quota’ – as advocated by Minister Phil Hogan – should be regarded as a necessary measure.
‘When given the opportunity, young people will get stuck in and do everything they can to make a difference’
With her own success coming despite the absence of such a quota, Cllr Galway, nonetheless, espouses the same view on the matter as her party colleague.
“The business of the quota is causing controversy, but I’ve spoken to Minister Hogan, and it’s something that he and the Government are determined to introduce,” she says.
“I hope people realise that there is a need for it, but I understand why some people worry about it. I think there are so many women out there that would make excellent female representatives, and the quota is something that I would be definitely in favour of.”
Despite this, Cllr Galway has no desire to see the introduction of an age quota – a mandatory policy with the aim of introducing a greater diversity of age groups into the elected political sphere. She is, however, in favour of lowering the current legal voting age.
“It’s something that I personally would be in favour of, yes,” she says.
“I’m teaching CSPE in St Kieran’s College and I’m extremely interested in the idea of active citizenship. I see constantly that young people are interested, and they’re not given enough credit for it.
“They want to get involved, they want to be active in their local communities, but they’re not given the chance. When given the opportunity, they will get stuck in and do everything they can to make a difference,” she says.
The new councillor speaks highly of the Kilkenny school, where she has been a member of staff for six years now, teaching Irish, civics, history, and geography. She is also involved in debating, the Green Schools Programme, the Gaisce President’s Awards, and many other after-school programmes.
The extent of her involvement in extracurricular activities at St Kieran’s demonstrates Cllr Galway’s enthusiasm for her work at the school. Equally evident is her popularity among her students, if her ‘ratemyteachers.ie’ profile is anything to go by.
At such a young age, it is impossible not to wonder if Cllr Galway has any further political aspirations – beyond that of the county council, for example. At present, however, she refuses to speculate.
“I’m focusing on trying to find my feet in the council at the moment, trying to learn everything as quickly as possible. Already last week I had four meetings. I know that might be a bit extraordinary, but I just want to work hard for the people of my area and of Kilkenny in general.”
With her first two weeks as a councillor being particularly busy, the 27-year-old will no doubt relish the upcoming break in council, coupled with school summer holidays. She is looking forward to getting stuck in.
“I hope to do my very best on the council, to be someone who’s there to work hard with energy and new ideas,” she says.
“I’m not nervous, but I am excited – I’m going to have to learn quickly and get through a lot of work outside of meetings to make sure I’m up to date. I’ll be a busy lady, but I relish the challenge.”
