Newcomer a Canney man

Earlier this week, newly elected TD Sean Canney was in Athenry with a view to providing the town with access to the gas network. He has started as he means to go on.

He is nothing if not persistent. Five years ago he contested the general election as an independent candidate and received around 5,500 first preferences.

It was not good enough. A few weeks after the disappointment of not winning a seat, he concentrated his efforts on having another go. Canney was not taking defeat lying down.

The Claretuam man has many hats. He has been involved in the construction industry, is a lecturer in GMIT and has served a couple of terms as a member of Galway County Council. He has also been Mayor of County Galway.

But now he has stepped up to a new level of politics thanks to a poll-topping performance last weekend when he received strong support throughout the constituency.

And he paid tribute to fellow independent Cllr Timmy Broderick from Kilconnell who backed his campaign and was able to deliver quality votes in that part of the constituency.

Broderick was also a candidate in the 2011 general election but the boundary changes that were implemented in the meantime decimated his vote.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.