Rift in Sinn Féin in Galway West deepens after Bye-Election debacle
Sinn Féin has moved to limit the damage of the ongoing rift caused by the fall-out of its candidate selection for May’s Galway West Bye-Election.
A party split in the constituency emerged following the selection of former Galway City Councillor Mark Lohan to contest the Bye-Election after members in Conamara publicly criticised his lack of Irish, and his geographical base in Galway City.
Sinn Féin has taken disciplinary action against one of its Conamara members, Máirín Mhic Lochlainn, after she spoke out against Mr Lohan during the Bye-Election campaign.
The Ros ‘a Mhíl native argued in local media that the Sinn Féin candidate should have been fluent in Irish and based in Conamara, given the sitting TD – Mairéad Farrell – was city based.
Kevin O’Hara, a former local election candidate for Sinn Féin in Conamara, who lost out to Mr Lohan at the party’s Bye-Election selection convention, last week issued a statement in defence of his colleague Máirín Mhic Lochlainn.
He criticised Sinn Féin for choosing Mr Lohan to contest the Bye-Election in Galway, home to the country’s largest Gaeltacht, and for taking disciplinary action against Ms Mhic Lochlainn.
Mr O’Hara said the Bye-Election result – in which Mr Lohan finished seventh with 6.7% of the vote – was the party’s worst performance in Galway West in almost 20 years.
The An Spidéal based Republican said: “Clearly Sinn Féin’s leadership is more interested in finding a scapegoat for the disastrous collapse in Galway, instead of looking to rebuild. Who benefits from expelling a long standing republican like Máirín Mhic Lochlainn? We would be better served by coming together to rebuild and move forward.”
In response to criticism of selecting a candidate in Galway West who was not fluent in Irish, Matt Carthy TD, Chairperson of Midlands North West Sinn Féin, defended his party’s record. “Sinn Féin is absolutely committed to investing in Gaeltacht communities and promoting and supporting the Irish language. In Galway West we are proud to be represented by Mairéad Farrell TD, a vocal and consistent champion of the Gaeltacht and the Irish language,” he said.
“Issues arose in the aftermath of the Galway West by-election selection convention. Election conventions are a cornerstone of Sinn Féin’s democratic structures, enabling party members to decide who they want to represent them as a candidate.
“Selection conventions don’t always produce outcomes that satisfy everyone, but it is crucial that the decisions of members are respected by the party membership and leadership at every level. Our activists and members are central to everything we do, and all members are expected to operate within the party’s constitution and rules. Disciplinary proceedings only arise when that is not the case.
“While we do not comment on individual disciplinary matters, we can be absolutely clear on one point: no disciplinary process have or would be initiated because of advocacy on behalf of the Irish language,” Deputy Carty added.