North Mayo man secures Gaeltacht nomination for Seanad

BELMULLET publican and funeral undertaker Padraic Conroy has been selected as the Údarás na Gaeltachta nominee for a seat in Seanad Éireann, following a decisive 9-3 vote by the organisation.

The Erris native, who owns the iconic McDonnell’s Pub in the heart of Belmullet, expressed his gratitude for the nomination.

“I’m honoured to be selected and would like to first and foremost thank my colleagues in Údarás,” Conroy said.

Fianna Fáil’s director of Seanad elections, Robert Troy, has confirmed that the party is exploring its options as the deadline for external body nominations nears, with just one week to go.

The deadline for proposals for nominations to the vocational panels by nominating bodies is set to shut at 12 p.m. on Wednesday, December 18.

Conroy, who previously served as Mayo County Council’s representative on the board of Údarás na Gaeltachta from 2022 to 2024, will now undertake a nationwide canvass ahead of February’s Seanad elections.

His selection is viewed as a strategic move by Fianna Fáil, both locally in Mayo, where the party has only one TD returning to Dublin, while also connecting with the party’s continued focus on advocating for Gaeltacht regions and rural Ireland. With Conroy’s candidacy, the party aims to bolster its presence in the upper house and deepen its connection to Ireland’s Irish-speaking communities.

As the Seanad elections draw closer, Fianna Fáil’s prospects look set to gain momentum with Conroy at the forefront of their campaign.