Recently elected Cork senator to be replaced on county council by her mother

Kate Lynch was selected to be co-opted to Cork County Council on Monday night, filling the seat left vacant by her daughter Senator Eileen Lynch who has moved onto Seanad Éireann.

Following a vote among Fine Gael party members, which took place at the Castle Hotel in Macroom, it was Kate Lynch who was chosen to replace her daughter, after seeing off three other candidates who put themselves forward to fill the seat on Cork County Council for the Macroom Municipal District.

Speaking to The Echo after her mother was chosen to take up her vacated seat on Cork County Council, Senator Eileen Lynch feels that she will be strong advocate for the people of the local area.

"My mam has been right by my side for all of my political journey and I have no doubt but that she will make an excellent county councillor and continue to provide a strong voice for constituents in the area.

“For me personally, I was never in any way adamant that it had to be a family member or anything like that, that wouldn’t really be my style of politics. But I was incredibly adamant that my replacement had to come from the northeast side of the district, which was the area that I was elected in.

“I felt it would have been very disrespectful to the voters who put their trust in me if they didn’t get a councillor back.

“My mam is from Aghabullogue as well. We have three Fine Gael councillors in the area. We split the area in terms of strategy and vote management.

“There is a massive territory there and I am just delighted that it has been won by somebody in that area."

Eileen Lynch was elected as a senator in February 2025. She was elected as a Fine Gael councillor in the Macroom Electoral Area in her first election back in May 2019.

As to what the public can expect from her mother Kate Lynch as a Cork county councillor, Cork North West Fine Gael TD John Paul O’Shea told The Echo that he feels she will be a great asset to the county council.

“I know the commitment that the Lynch family has given to Fine Gael and to local politics. So, I am looking to working with Kate in terms of delivering on local issues.

"It was a very tight and close run campaign. But there were four good candidates on the night. To be fair they all did really well and it was great to see a healthy contest as well."