Another O"Rourke set to enter local political fray

Aengus O"Rourke has thrown his name into the Fianna Fáil hat in the run-up to next year"s Athlone Town Council election after being nominated by the Thomas Hughes Cumann late last week. There had been speculation for some time that O"Rourke would seek to add his name to the party"s election ticket, but this was only confirmed last week when he was officially nominated. And while he has the O"Rourke/Lenihan political dynasty behind him, Aengus O"Rourke said this week he won"t be taking anything for granted. 'I have to get through the convention first. Nothing can be taken for granted. I"m not standing on the basis of a political dynasty or for sentimental reasons, I"m putting myself forward to the delegates on my own merit. There is a bit of work to be done between now and the convention,' he said this week. It is expected Fianna Fáil will hold its selection convention in mid to late October when just over 30 delegates will vote on who to put on the election ticket. O"Rourke is just the latest in a long line of party stalwarts hoping to make it onto the party ticket. The four sitting councillors Mayor Egbert Moran, Cllr Kieran Molloy, Cllr John Butler and Cllr Kevin "Boxer" Moran may have to go through the convention, but are unlikely to lose out to the other potential candidates seeking the delegates" votes; Westmeath County Councillor Frankie Keena, branch chairman Michael O"Brien, newcomer Joy Salaja and of course Aengus O"Rourke. Party stalwart Sheila Buckley Byrne has been nominated by party members for both the town and county, but has not commented any further on the nomination. Speaking after his nomination this week O"Rourke admitted that it will be a tightly fought contest, but said he will be setting out his stall to the delegates between now and the selection convention. He said he knew many of the delegates as he had worked with them on various campaigns over the years and they know him as a person. He said the strong interest from party members in running for the local elections next year is a very good sign for the Fianna Fáil part locally, with a lot of new blood wanting to put themselves forward. And while O"Rourke is sure to tick all the right boxes for party headquarters - coming from a strong political family with strong roots in the local community as well as being a young father of three - he is keen to point out that party headquarters won"t have much of a say in who will make it onto the election ticket with the responsibility for choosing the candidates lying with the local delegates.