Forde selected for Fine Gael's local election team

POPULAR county councillor Deirdre Forde has been selected to run on the Fine Gael ticket at the local election in Cork City South-East next May.

She is joined by former Lord Mayor, Cllr Des Cahill, in the same constituency. Ms Forde, from Douglas, moves from county to city as part of the expansion of the City Council boundary, which will take place next summer.

The party held conventions for their southside city candidates last night.

Added to the ticket in the south-west were Cllr PJ Hourican, who was first elected to Cork City Council in 1991, and county councillor Derry Canty. They will be joined by Garrett Kelleher and newcomer Sinead Ronan in the expanded constituency, which will now include Ballincollig, alongside Bishopstown and Wilton.

They will be vying for the seat left vacant by former Lord Mayor, John Buttimer, who revealed earlier in the week that he will not stand for re-election to Cork City Council next year.

Cork barrister Shane O’Callaghan, meanwhile, was selected to contest the next council election in Cork South Central ward.

The southside conventions follow the holding of the northside conventions earlier this week.

Councillor Joe Kavanagh, 2016 general election candidate Julie O'Leary, and Damien Boylan were selected to run on the northside of the city.

Ms O'Leary is already on the Dáil ticket with Senator Colm Burke but will be seeking a council seat in Cork North West in the meantime.