Connell puts Sinn Fein back at the Ballyduff MD table

This is a good election for Sinn Féin in Cavan.

Sinn Féin’s Noel Connell is back on the Ballyjamesduff Municipal District after an absence of five years thanks to securing 1,716 votes in this weekend’s Local Elections count at Cavan Leisure Centre.

Noel served five years on the MD (2014-2019) but lost his seat last time round. He says being an elected member affords better opportunities to “get things done for people”.

“It’s brilliant to get re-elected, absolutely brilliant,” he told the Celt after proceedings. He describes himself as a people person and with the powers of Cavan County Council behind him “can be more helpful in the community”.

“I found over the last five years that when I needed something done, I had to go through Deputy Pauline Tully to achieve that,” he continued before adding now that he has been elected to the local MD, “he can do it himself”. This is a good election for Sinn Féin in Cavan because we went in with one and will be going out with three.

Connell received 410 transfers from party colleague Angela Gaffney after she was eliminated in the fourth count and her 569 votes were distributed. “Myself and Angela had a great voting strategy. Angela worked really hard and while it didn’t work out for both of us, I know that Angela will be back.