GE candidates for Meath East and Meath West...

[new_to_this]

Will the following be in the race as candidates for the next GE?

Meath East:
FF: Thomas Byrne & Mary Wallace
FG: Shane McEntee & Sirena Campbell
Labour: Dominic Hannigan

Meath West:
FF: Noel Dempsey & Johnny Brady
FG: Damien English & John Farrelly
Labour: Tracy McElhinney
Sinn Fein: Joey Reilly

I'm sure there are many more runners and riders...and that not all above will be running either.

[Reality bites]

thomas byrne could transfer to Louth if Seamus Kirk wasn't running there for FF as quite a chunk of julianstown area is now in louth.

[new_to_this]

Johnny Brady, on account of Kells going to Meath East, could then run in ME, leaving FF with a space to fill in Meath West

[straight talker]

thomas byrne now attending mettings of kells ff and canvassed kells for yes vote so id say he intends to stay in meath east

[stonethrower]

I would say Johnny Brady will stay in Meath West, while he has lost Kells, he still has a lot of his old constiuency, and Byrne will stay in Meath East. I cannot see Farrelly being the second FG candidate, his race is run....there is a very popular councillor Ray Butler in Trim who might fit the bill, he topped the poll and geographically he is well placed with English in Navan....

I cannot see Sirena Campbell being the FG candidate, her base is in Julianstown and that is now part of Louth constituency. In any event FG need a candidate in the south of the county, otherwise they leave that area to FF/Labour...Julianstown is a long way from Ashbourne/Dunshaughlin/Dunboyne/Ratoath. They have 2 female councillors down there, Regina Doherty (Ratoath) and Maria Murphy (Dunboyne) who were both elected in the last local elections. Regina was also a candidate in the last General. While she did well in the rural areas, in both the General and local elections she was strongly outpolled by FF. Both Mary Wallace (TD) and Cllr Nick Killian walloped her in Ratoath, where she doesn't appear that popular. The tallies from the last locals were amazing, if she cannot beat FF in Ratoath which has been hit hard by the recession...when can she beat them. Maria Murphy might be a safer bet as she could have Dunboyne all to herself and she is popular. However word on the ground is that FG are looking for a celebrity candidate.....now only if long standing supporter....Sean Boylan from Dunboyne would agree to run....

[fgrep]

Yea FG in Meath West had a great celebrity candidate last time!

[bcollins]

I agree that both Johnny Brady and Thomas Byrne are likely to stay where they are, however with Seamus Kirks elevation Deputy Byrne might sense an opening in Louth. Can FF take two in a four seater, does he stand a beeter chance of beating Mary Wallace in Meath East?

FG have 2 bankers (Though perhaps thats now an unfortunate term) with Shane McEntee in Meath East and Damien English in Meath West. In East they can look at Sirena, Regina or Mary Murphy. I would imagine that Regina has a head start on the others. With Shane coming from the northern end of the constituency I imagine picking a candidate from further to the south, factoring in the loss of large portions of the Drogheda suburbs and the coastal area, would make more sense.

In Meath West FG will also have a tough choice as to who to run with Damien. Clearly some will favour running Catherine Yore. John Farrelly despite what was said above is still by far one of the most capable public representatives in the county. Ray Butler chances may have been diminished by the loss of Kells, but he can still expect a massive vote in Trim and a healthy vote out of the Kells hinterland.

Other candidates to consider are Francis Deane in Meath West and Brian Fitzgerald in Meath East. Sinn Fein are not on the horizon in Meath East but will still be expected to perform strong in West.

We must also look at the possibility of FG running three candidates in these two constituencies

[straight talker]

brian all above very good reading and im sure most of it may be spot on you gave no insight in to labours plans or will they not be contesting

[Libernia]

And given that the 'Julianstown' area is essentially the middle class suburban part of Drogheda surely it must be very tempting for either Byrne or Hannigan to run in Louth, both Drogheda men.

[topcat4]

I agree that both Johnny Brady and Thomas Byrne are likely to stay where they are, however with Seamus Kirks elevation Deputy Byrne might sense an opening in Louth. Can FF take two in a four seater, does he stand a beeter chance of beating Mary Wallace in Meath East?

FG have 2 bankers (Though perhaps thats now an unfortunate term) with Shane McEntee in Meath East and Damien English in Meath West. In East they can look at Sirena, Regina or Mary Murphy. I would imagine that Regina has a head start on the others. With Shane coming from the northern end of the constituency I imagine picking a candidate from further to the south, factoring in the loss of large portions of the Drogheda suburbs and the coastal area, would make more sense.

In Meath West FG will also have a tough choice as to who to run with Damien. Clearly some will favour running Catherine Yore. John Farrelly despite what was said above is still by far one of the most capable public representatives in the county. Ray Butler chances may have been diminished by the loss of Kells, but he can still expect a massive vote in Trim and a healthy vote out of the Kells hinterland.

Other candidates to consider are Francis Deane in Meath West and Brian Fitzgerald in Meath East. Sinn Fein are not on the horizon in Meath East but will still be expected to perform strong in West.

We must also look at the possibility of FG running three candidates in these two constituencies

Brian I know you probably have to talk around this but are you throwing your hat in the ring in either Meath East or West?