Sinn Fein to seek second convention

 

The Sinn Fein party are preparing to organise a second convention in the “coming weeks” to coopt a new member to Cavan County Council after attempts to fill the seat left vacant by former Councillor Eugene Green hit an impasse yesterday (Wednesday) evening.

Its understood there was a large party attendance at the convention at the Hotel Kilmore, where at least four members had put their names forward.

A spokesperson for the party informed The Anglo-Celt the party will now aim to fill the position in the "coming weeks".

Its understood the party's focus is firmly on securing a member to represent the Cavan Town area, where the party have had strong representation since Brian McKeown won the last of nine seats on Cavan Town Council in 1999, and was re-elected up until its dissolution in 2014.

Having served just 37 months as an elected representative, Mr Greenan shocked political circles locally when he submitted his letter of resignation to Council chief executive Tommy Ryan at the end of June.

He was elected to the Cavan-Belturbet Municipal District area at the 2014 local election, on the eighth count with more than 1,000 votes.

In a statement issued at the time, Mr Greenan pointed to pressing commitments outside of Council life as reasons for his decision. He said his decision was not without regret, acknowledging: “At the age of 30, it is difficult to know what the future holds for me politically. I will miss calling the Council and Government Ministers to account on important matters and I will miss the sense of satisfaction from helping a constituent who finds themselves in difficulty.”