Guirke selected for SF in Meath West

Johnny Guirke will contest the next general election for Sinn Féin in Meath West after he was selected unopposed at the party’s convention held in the Newgrange Hotel in Navan last Thursday evening.

At what must have been one of the shortest selection conventions in recent history (just 18 minutes), more than 100 members of the party were present to congratulate Cllr Guirke, who was elected to Kells Municipal District and Meath County Council at the last local elections, with 1,678 votes.

Among the delegates were SF Cllrs Darren O’Rourke and Eddie Fennessy. Cllr Guirke was proposed by John Reilly and seconded by former Navan councillor, Sinéad Burke. One notable absentee, however, was Sinn Féin party finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty, who was due to be guest speaker but failed to make it to Navan after being one of a number of TDs blocked inside Leinster House because of climate change protests.

Speaking after his selection Cllr Guirke said he had let his name go forward for a number of reasons and that he "knew he could do a lot better than what’s there already".

In a tweet he later said: "Tonight at the Convention I was selected to be the Sinn Féin Election Candidate for Meath West #GE2020. I will continue to work night and day for my constituents and hope you will support me."

The Oldcastle man will now be looking to target the seat won at the last general election by former Sinn Féin TD and now Aontú party leader Peadar Tóibín.