C’hill independents team up for elections

The fight for council seats in the Cootehill area and the potential for a major upset at the upcoming local elections has intensified with yet another candidate joining the field.

The northeast of the county has been a weather vane for political winds of change in the past, strongly reflecting popular opinion.

Gary Cosgrove has announced his intention to join the campaign trail alongside fellow independent, Fiona McCormack (nee Bannon), a mum of three and HSE worker.

A team strategy has been agreed for the pair.

Both candidates have the backing of Cootehill Concerned Citizens (CCC) which, until recently, staged weekly demonstrations to highlight concerns about proposals to house asylum seekers in a local hotel.

“I am and I’m a bit nervous at the same time,” said Mr Cosgrove, when asked if he was excited about the prospect of standing for election.

He admits, like many others, that until recently he didn’t bother much with mainstream politics, but says he was moved by “injustices” in the system and feels now is the time to stand up and be counted if change is to ever be realised.

“From the lack of contact with our local representatives who we tried to engage with, we felt we had to go forward.”

He says his planned foray into the political sphere is that much less daunting with Ms McCormack standing as a running mate. Their ‘1-2’ vote strategy, they hope, could get one at least one of them elected come June.

“We’re hoping that, with transfers, and that’s the way we’ll be pushing it, there is certainly a chance for at least one of us to get in.”

Originally from Cootehill, Mr Cosgrove spent his younger working life in Germany and then Australia.

He currently works with a Dublin-base fire safety solutions firm, which has offices in Bailieborough.

Mr Cosgrove says that, much like himself, there are a great many people living in Ireland who feel completely disenfranchised from the main political parties.

“A lot of people down at our protests they would have been Sinn Féin supporters at one time, for sure, and Sinn Féin has changed dramatically from what they use to be.

They’re almost unrecognisable now from what they were. People have drifted away now, and as for the likes of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, people are fed up. It’s as simple as that.”

Tighter controls on immigration into Ireland, and more supports for Small to Medium Enterprises, as well as young farmers, are Mr Cosgrove’s main campaigning issues.

In announcing his candidature on social media last weekend, Mr Cosgrove stated he intends to bring a “strong sense of duty and enthusiasm for a fresh perspective” to the political arena.

“Anchored in hard work and dedication, I’ve strived for tangible results throughout my life, and will be committed to addressing our community’s pressing issues. Yet, I recognise the need for efficiency and effectiveness in governance to truly serve our community.

I aim to inject new ideas into our political discourse, offering a vision of innovation and progress.

“While respecting past contributions, I advocate for introducing new voices to effect positive change.

I pledge to actively engage with all members of our community, confident in my ability to lead us toward a brighter future.”