Longford's Ciaran Mullooly among the fancied candidates as prospective MEPs prepare for a bloody battle

They say politics is the last blood sport, and if that is the case the constituency of the Midlands North West may well be the colosseum.

Next Friday voters will go to the polls to make their selections in three separate elections: the European Parliament elections, the local elections and the first directly elected Mayor of Limerick.

Locally we only have to worry about the first two. Almost four million voters in Ireland can cast a ballot to decide which 14 MEPs will represent the three constituencies of Dublin (four seats), Midlands North West (five seats) and South (five seats) at the European Parliament.

REVEALED: Full list of candidates who will contest Longford Local Elections 2024!

On June 7 the people of Longford, along with the 14 other counties in the constituency of the Midlands North West, will be asked to choose five of those MEPs to represent them in the European Parliament for the next five years.

It's a packed field with a record 27 candidates on the ballot paper. Three Longford candidates will have their name and picture on the ballot sheet; Stephen Garland (Independent), Ciaran Mullooly (Independent Ireland) and James Reynolds (National Party).

The Midlands North West constituency has an additional seat this time round and, as Fine Gael's Colm Markey has indicated he won't be seeking re-election, so there will be two brand new MEPs upon completion of the count.

Also read: Longford local election votes will once again be tallied in TUS Athlone

Sitting MEPs Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan, Sinn Féin’s Chris McManus, and Maria Walsh know this will be a hard fight to book tickets back to Strasbourg.

The surprise take away from the last time out was that Fine Gael took two seats, while Fianna Fáil failed to take back the seat they have not held since 2009.

Also read: Opening and closing times for polling stations ahead of Local Elections in Longford

Luke Ming Flanagan, an MEP since 2014, has led the poles and is expected to be the one to beat. Flanagan was once a co-campaigner with Michael Fitzmaurice, who has joined Independent Ireland, which is the party Longford man Ciaran Mullooly has aligned with.

Bookies favourites for the spots are: Luke 'Ming' Flanagan (Independent), Maria Walsh (Fine Gael), Ciaran Mullooly (Independent Ireland), Barry Cowen (Fianna Fail), Chris McManus (Sinn Fein), and Peadar Toibin (Aontu).

At present there are 13 MEPs representing Ireland's three constituencies. Five are women.

The other candidates making up the 27 person field are: Justin Barrett (National Party); Niall Blaney (Fianna Fáil); Anthony Cahill (The Irish People); Nina Carberry (Fine Gael); Peter Casey (Independent); Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fáil); Michelle Gildernew (Sinn Féin); Rory Hearne (Social Democrats); Charlotte Keenan (Independent); Hermann Kelly (Irish Freedom Party); Fergal Landy (Labour); Margaret Maguire (Ireland First); Saoirse McHugh (Independent); Brian O’Boyle (PBP-SOL); Pauline O’Reilly (Green Party); Daniel Pocock (Independent); Michelle Smith (Independent); Gerry Waters (Independent); John Waters (Independent).