Mayo's Keira Keogh tells of bid to follow Michael Ring into office

IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF A LEGEND

by Conor Curran

West Mayo Fine Gael general election candidate Keira Keogh has spoken of her bid to win the seat being vacated by the legendary Michael Ring TD in the forthcoming general election.

I spoke to Keira Keogh the morning after a successful public meeting regarding road safety.

Despite torrential rain, the citizens of Westport had shown up to voice their concerns and find solutions.

Following an unsuccessful local election campaign, Keogh directed her energy into community ventures like this, her book club, and getting involved in other events around Westport.

Now, she’s back on the campaign trail for the upcoming general election, with Fine Gael and Michael Ring behind her.

“I never would’ve put my name in if it weren’t for Michael,” she stated.

“He’s a very warm, sociable man, and I know how lucky I am for that support.”

Now going doorstep to doorstep, she’s coming face-to-face with the issues facing voters.

“One thing that I found quite different from the local elections was that people are much more aware about what’s happening and bringing up more nuanced situations.

"Childcare is coming up a lot with me, as are concerns about business supports and rates.”

Perhaps this is because Keogh has experience in both areas. She was raised working in The Helm in Westport, owned by her family, before becoming a behavioural consultant for children with additional needs.

“My biggest value is service. My parents are both hugely empathetic people, and we always would’ve helped the community in any way we could.”

It was this urge to help that got Keogh involved in the Junior Chamber International (JCI), which she claims has had a huge impact on her personal and political development.

“I would’ve never seen myself as a leader before joining the JCI,” Keogh stated. She would later end up as the International Vice-President of JCI in 2022.

Despite a more urban upbringing, Keogh has also immersed herself into the rural side of Ireland.

While appearances at the National Ploughing Championships and sheep shows won’t solve issues facing rural farmers, the candidate reasserts that she has agriculture on the top of her mind.

“The farmers are the custodians of the environment. They are the ones that have been looking after our environment for years.

“Especially in the west of Ireland, you’re not looking at big, huge dairy farms. You’re looking at family farms with blackface sheep.”

Issues such as speeding, housing, and specifically the sewage issues in Newport, are similarly on her radar.

Interestingly, Keogh was surprised at the lack of people fighting to fill Ring’s shoes.

“There should’ve been 20 people climbing over each other to fill Michael Ring’s space, but people are afraid to run.”

She attributes this hesitancy to a lack of legislation regarding social media and online abuse.

“There’s so much misinformation, bullying and toxicity. It’s scary because if you don’t have people who feel they can step up and do this job, then you’ll have extremists doing it instead.

“If you look at cars, they started off with no seatbelts, no lighting, no white lines on the road. As the roads got busier and cars got more advanced, more legislation was needed. The internet is moving so quickly that it’s hard for legislation to keep pace.”

She raised these concerns at the Fine Gael Ard Fheis.

Her suggested solution involves a “three-pronged approach” – protecting elderly people from online fraud and scams, protecting children from grooming and bullying, and protecting every internet user from political misinformation.

The key to this, in Keogh’s eyes, is identity verification for social media sites.

“I’m all for freedom of speech. Especially in politics, people should be allowed to criticise you – as long as they’re real people.”

Although no date has been set in stone yet for the general election, Keogh’s campaign is well underway.

Fine Gael is fielding four candidates in this constituency, so it will surely be one to watch.

And, with the backing of the legendary Michael Ring, Keogh cannot be underestimated by a long chalk.