Title: United Left Emerged in Galway West Bye-Election

“Six left-wing candidates have endorsed a “vote left, transfer left” strategy for the upcoming bye-election for Galway West. The contest is set to be held on May 22nd, following Catherine Connolly’s election to President of Ireland. The transfer pact, endorsed by Sinn Féin’s Mark Lohan, the Social Democrats’ Míde Nic Fhionnlaoich, Labour’s Helen Ogbu, People Before Profit (PBP)’s Denman Rooke, the Greens’ Niall Murphy, and independent Sheila Garrity, was largely driven by Tonn na Clé, a grassroots organisation formed by supporters of President Connolly. This United Left will be hoping to prevent the election of the more right-wing candidates who were nearly returned in the general election. Chief among those right-wing candidates is County Councillor Noel Thomas. Thomas came 6th in the 2024 General Election in Galway West, receiving nearly 10 per cent of first preference votes, but failed to become Independent Ireland’s fifth Teachta Dála (TD). He was previously a longtime member of Fianna Fáil, but left the party after being placed under investigation for comments he had made regarding immigration. Following an arson attack on the Ross Lake hotel in 2023, Thomas, who had been protesting outside the hotel before it was burned, declared to RTÉ that Ireland should not accept any asylum applications and that “the inn is full”. His home was raided by Gardaí and his phone was seized as part of an investigation into the attack. His recent activism opposing the Mercosur Trade Agreement has boosted his profile and he seems set for a strong showing in May. One possible threat to Cllr Thomas’ success is fellow councillor Thomas Welby. A former Progressive Democrat (PD), Welby is well liked in his home of Oughterard, a ten minute drive from Thomas’ home base in Maigh Cuillinn, and has topped the poll locally in Connemara North since 2009. Councillor Welby has been endorsed by his former PD colleague, Noel Grealish TD. Senator Seán Kyne is hoping to become Fine Gael’s second TD in the constituency, alongside Minister for Education Hildegarde Naughton. The former deputy lost his seat in 2020 and failed to win it back in 2024. However, as the sole Fine Gael candidate, he may be able to capitalise on the party’s strong showing in the previous election. Kyne is also one of only 3 gaeolgeoirí in the constituency, a third of which is in a Gaeltacht. Former University College Dublin Students’ Union (UCDSU) Welfare Officer, Míde Nic Fhionnlaoich, is also a fluent Irish speaker. Nic Fhionnlaoich is a former campaign manager and current parliamentary assistant to Sinéad Gibney. While a prolific activist in Dublin, she has a very low profile in Galway and may struggle to stand out amidst a crowded left field. Nic Fhionnlaoich succeeds the previous Social Democrat candidate, Eibhlín Seoighhte, who left the party after Eoin Hayes was un-suspended following his Palantir scandal. The final gaeilgeoir running is Aontú’s Orla Nugent. Nugent hopes to make her fluency and housing advocacy key focuses of her campaign. However, this is likely not enough for a party that has never received more than 3 per cent of the vote. Similarly, unlikely winners are Green’s Niall Murphy and People-Before-Profit’s Denman Rooke. Neither candidate is particularly well known, and both represent parties that did poorly in the constituency in 2024. Their largest impact may come through their participation in the “vote left, transfer left” pact. Perhaps the most high-profile left candidate is City Councillor Helen Ogbu. Ogbu was Labour’s candidate in the previous general election, receiving just over three per cent of the vote. The Nigerian-born activist moved to Galway in 2006 and was widowed in 2010 following the brutal, politically motivated murder of her husband. Her participation in the left-wing transfer pact may boost her chances, but as a city councillor, she may struggle to find the necessary rural support to be returned to Dáil Éireann. Mark Lohan was selected as Sinn Féin’s candidate in a four-way race. Lohan, a trade union activist, was co-opted onto the city council in 2016, but has never won an election, failing to receive a local seat in 2019 and 2024. Although his party colleague, Mairéad Farrell, topped the poll in 2024, her 13 per cent first preference votes are not enough on their own to secure a seat, and he will have to rely on transfers from other left-wing candidates. The final member of the United Left pact is former Connolly campaign manager Sheila Garrity. Garrity is running as an independent, but is supported by many long-term activists associated with Catherine Connolly. She has no previous electoral experience and lacks prominent name recognition. Independent Mayor of Galway Mike Cubbard and Fianna Fáil’s Councillor Cillian Keane have also declared for the bye-election. If successful, this transfer pact could serve as a model of broad left-wing cooperation in other constituencies and perhaps preserve the momentum of the Connolly campaign into the next general election.

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