Young Cork candidates eye next election after first outing

A NUMBER of candidates aged 30 and under sought election onto Cork City Council in this year’s local elections.

One such candidate was Fine Gael’s Barry O’Brien, who turned 27 a few days before the count.

The first time candidate managed a very respectable performance in the competitive South East ward, securing 924 first preference votes and out polling eight of the 16 candidates in the ward.

Though he was unsuccessful in securing a seat on this occasion, Mr O’Brien told The Echo ahead of the announcement of the first count that he intends to run in the next local elections.

“I fully intend, no matter the outcome to run again,” he said.

“I would recommend it to anyone to do it. We need more candidates in politics and people taking interest.” 

Mr O’Brien, involved in politics since the age of 15, said he decided to seek election in a bid to tackle issues close to his heart – including housing.

“I think I’m the only candidate in Cork city who is still living at home, so that was a big one for me to offer that unique perspective at council level.” Also among the younger cohort was Independent candidate Aran MacDonnchadha, 21, who ran in the South West ward.

He did not get elected, but speaking ahead of the result of the first count, Mr MacDonnchadha said he wanted greater representation for young working people on city council.

“I feel myself that some of the ordinary working class people, they get turned off voting completely and I just feel like when things are in a bad way or people aren’t being represented, you need to either run or you need to vote.

“You know you need ordinary people there, you need to have working class people there, I think,” he said.

“I think there some things that we [younger people] go through that some older generations aren’t going to understand.

“For example, I rent myself. The prospect of home ownership is kind of out of reach for the likes of us and I think trying to have that perspective in council is really important.” 

Meanwhile, People Before Profit-Solidarity candidate in the city’s South Central ward Shane Laird (30) accepted his fate in the 2024 local elections early into the count but said he would not rule out contesting the 2029 local elections.

“I’m not getting in, but it’s respectable enough for a first run,” he said on securing more than 200 first preference votes.

“I would probably run again. Currently I would probably be the candidate for the general election for People Before Profit actually so that’s much sooner.” Mr Laird said he believes housing and transport are the two biggest issues facing the new council.

“Obviously in terms of road maintenance as well, that needs to be pushed, though to a certain extent I think the problem there is more a national issue of so much resources being centralised in the central government rather than being in the hands of local authorities.

“There’s a lot of power that does need to be de-centralised to local authorities so they can deal with local issues more effectively,” he added.