Green candidate thanks voters for first preferences

Green local election candidate Kevin Murphy was the ever to stand in Cavan in the party's 40 plus year history.

Running in the Cavan-Belturbet area, he tallied around one per cent overall, or in the region of 100 votes.

He may have also had one of the lowest campaign carbon footprints in the country, opting not to put up posters or leaflet letterboxes.

“I appreciate everyone who took the time to vote and gave me their number one, its really appreciated, and hopefully next time the Green's do even better.”

It was former General Election candidate, Tate Donnelly, who himself was left disappointed by the result he received in the ballot box in Carrickmacross, that encouraged Murphy to put his name forward.

The Greens have three candidates running in neighbouring Monaghan but dad-of-four Murphy was left ploughing a lone furrow in the Breffni county.

The Swanlinbar native and environmental engineer, who is from a farming background and still has a small holding himself, said that his candidacy was about starting a conversation.

“Its a start. My thoughts are there's a root there. Now its about how we can help that become a tree, and what else can we get from that, or do next as a party going forward.”