Longford Review of the Year June 2024: Fine Gael's Garry Murtagh is highest vote getter in county in drama filled Longford local elections

Drama-filled Local Election in Longford

The success of Colmcille's mighty Cllr Garry Murtagh, was one of the outstanding stories of the drama-filled 2024 Longford Local Elections in June, which produced three recounts, six new faces and saw three outgoing councillors lose their seats.
Fine Gael stalwart Murtagh captured 1,450 first preference votes in Granard Municipal District making him the highest vote getter of the 39 candidates that contested the Local Elections across county Longford.
Cllr Murtagh is pictured below left being hoisted shoulder high by his jubilant supporters in the Count Centre in Edgeworthstown.
Meanwhile, there was no real significant shake up in the makeup of Longford County Council as the two parties who dominated the local authority, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael fielded four and three candidates respectively and all seven were elected in convincing fashion.
The successful candidates were Gerry Hagan (FG), Martin Monaghan (FF), Seamus Butler (FF) and Peggy Nolan (FG), all of whom exceeded the 854 quota on the first count. They were joined by Niall Gannon (FG), Uruemu Adejinmi (FF) and Kevin Hussey (FF).
A shaky start for Fianna Fáil in Granard MD ended with a glorious triumph for David Cassidy.
Also elected in Granard MD were FG's Garry Murtagh, Padraic Brady and Padraig McNamara, along with Independent Turlough McGovern.
Fine Gael lost strong outgoing County Council Cathaoirleach, Colm Murray,who was co-opted in 2013 to take the late Paddy Belton's seat, in Ballymahon MD where the six elected candidates were Paul Ross and Martin Skelly (Fine Gael), Pat O'Toole, Mick Cahill and Seanie Mimnagh (Fianna Fáil) and Mark Casey (Independent).

Farmers under threat

The Longford IFA chair John Sheridan warned in June that EU nature restoration laws have the potential to destabilise food security and threaten the livelihood of many Longford farmers.
“This will have a massive effect in Longford,” the Ballinalee-based local agri representative said of the move by member state environment ministers to oppose the policy.
Nationally the IFA said the Irish government was wrong to support the introduction of this law "without the completion of an impact assessment " or "a dedicated budget".

CEO Scanlon resigns

Derek Scanlon announced he had stepped down as CEO of Longford disability service provider St Christopher’s Services in June.
Mr Scanlon stated he had decided to step away fromhis role as he I had “fought for proper funding for the service for the past seven years and that battle needs new energy”.
He said he would miss each and every service User.”
Mr Scanlon had served as CEO of the organisation since July 2017.

Center Parcs invests

Center Parcs Longford Forest announced in June that they were pressing ahead with a major investment in their only Irish resort, near Ballymahon.
They said three hundred jobs would be created during the construction of the major €100 million development, with 250 permanent jobs once operational and 198 additional lodges,