The two Claires: Candidates in Offaly with same name appear on the local elections ballot paper
Draw decides which Claire Murray will appear in first place on ballot in Edenderry local electoral area
In a bizarre twist of events two candidates with the same name are contesting the local elections for different parties in the Edenderry Local Electoral Area on June 7 next.
Rhode native Claire Murray is standing for Fianna Fail while Rhode based and Dublin native, Claire Murray is contesting the election for Sinn Fein.
An independently verified process, where the names of both candidates were placed in an envelope and one selected by Local Elections Returning Officer, Monica Cleary took place at Aras an Chontate in Tullamore on Wednesday morning last.
It determined that Sinn Fein's Claire Murray will appear above Fianna Fail's Claire Murray on the ballot paper.
The logos of their respective political parties and photographs of the two candidates will also accompany their names on the ballot papers.
The candidates are the only women seeking election in the Edenderry area to Offaly County Council.