Revealed: O'Heney announces candidacy for the 2024 Local Elections as an Independent

Tipperary Peace Commissioner, John P. O'Heney, has announced his intention to contest the 2024 Local Elections as an Independent candidate.

Speaking to The Nationalist's Tipp Town Correspondent Martin Quinn, O'Heney declared that he was aiming to take a seat in the Tipperary-Cahir-Cashel electoral area.

"I know that there is an incredibly challenging few months ahead but I am really looking forward to putting together a campaign that will put me in a position to challenge for a seat in the Tipperary-Cahir-Cashel LEA" he said.

Son of John O’Heney Snr, formerly of Lisobyhane, Emly and Josephine (nee O’Grady), formerly of Kilteely, Limerick, John has a Masters in Education in Mary Immaculate College in Limerick (which qualified him as a Primary School Teacher) and he also holds a Diploma in Leadership and Management from LIT Thurles and a Bachelor of Science in Health and Safety from UCC.

After almost a decade of teaching, he took a career break in 2022 to set up his own business called O’Heney Safety, a Training and Consultancy business for Health & Safety needs.

He is also currently working with the Knockanrawley Resource Centre in the area of Community Development.

He is hugely involved in a variety of local voluntary groups and associations in Tipperary and in neighbouring parishes including the Lattin-Cullen Parish Council Committee, the Lattin-Cullen GAA Club and the Lattin Lawn Tennis Club.

Outside of the parish his involvement includes the Emly Variety Players, the Cashel Friends of Europe Association and the Tipperary Town St Patrick's Day Committee in 2023.

He has also been involved in different committee's in Bansha including Bansha Celtic FC.

This year John is the Director of the South Tipperary Hospice Movement, where he has been directly involved in coordinating large scale fundraising events for them over the last few years. John points to the initiatives that he has spearheaded as a sign of his wish to serve the people of the area.

These include the Local Businesses Promotion Series (which has been featured on the Nationalist and on social media outlets), Running the Sightsavers Bus to Belfast (which has enabled members of the public to avail of various medical procedures in a hospital in Belfast) and the Light It Up Tipperary (a website for public and private services in Tipperary with information on addiction, domestic violence, mental health, suicide etc.).

Outside of his work and his voluntary commitments John has a keen interest in all types of construction work, farming, and current affairs.

If elected he intends to be a voice for small businesses and those who are self-employed, for the rural community and for those requiring support in the education sector.

"I will be a new strong voice for West Tipperary and I will work with the people and for the people" concluded O'Heney.