Council election: McElduff back as nationalists in Fermanagh and Omagh have big ethical questions to consider

Nationalist voters in Fermanagh and Omagh will pass their verdicts on a range of ethical dilemmas arising in the area since the last local poll in 2014.
By Philip Bradfield
Published 25th Apr 2019, 13:17 BST
Updated 25th Apr 2019, 13:18 BST
Barry McElduff sparked outrage after posing with a loaf of Kingsmill bread on his head in a social media video on the anniversary of the Kingsmills massacreBarry McElduff sparked outrage after posing with a loaf of Kingsmill bread on his head in a social media video on the anniversary of the Kingsmills massacre
Barry McElduff sparked outrage after posing with a loaf of Kingsmill bread on his head in a social media video on the anniversary of the Kingsmills massacre

They range from allegations of internal party bullying, a new nationalist party, Barry McElduff’s Kingsmills video, and independent candidates attempting to retain seats won last time out on party tickets.

The last council election saw the SDLP and UUP gaining ground, the SDLP taking a seat each from Sinn Fein and an independent.

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This time things look more uncertain, with new pro-life nationalist party Aontu fielding three candidates, the first electoral test on the issue since Sinn Fein and the SDLP adopted pro-choice and free votes respectively on the issue.

The Fermanagh and Omagh council areaThe Fermanagh and Omagh council area
The Fermanagh and Omagh council area

Omagh town in particular is the eye of the storm (16 candidates), where Sinn Fein’s Barry McElduff is tipped to perform well despite losing his Westminster seat over a video seen as ridiculing the Kingsmills massacre last year.

Independent candidate Sorcha McAnespy, who resigned the Sinn Fein whip in Omagh town over alleged party bullying (denied by Sinn Fein), is also seeking public approval to retain her position.

Meanwhile, the SDLP will try to wrench back Omagh seats from two independents who were elected on party tickets and also resigned the party whip over alleged frictions: Dr Josephine Deehan and Joanne Donnelly.

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With Fermanagh a traditional UUP stronghold, the party is optimistic about holding its nine overall seats.

DUP candidate Deborah Armstrong hopes her party performance in the last Assembly election points to the possibility of increasing its five seats, which it maintained last time despite a slide of 2.3% in its vote in the midst of a wider expenses controversy.

She says Brexit is the biggest issue on the doors.

“Unionists seem pleased with our position on principle,” she said. “They are also very concerned that there is no Assembly.”

Rural crime is also a big issue as well as the level of rates, she said.

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Omagh town UUP candidate Chris Smyth, said: “In mixed areas Sinn Fein is seen as having had a very direct role in pulling down the Assembly, which people are saying is leaving their schools in trouble.”

The biggest issue, he said, is rates, last struck at 2.3%.

“People are annoyed that the savings from merging councils never appeared. Brexit is also a massive issue.”

Sinn Fein candidate Siobhán Currie believes improving broadband and mobile phone coverage, the A32 road, local health services and rural roads are the key issues on voters’ minds. Her rallying cry is blasting the UK for Brexit and “savage” austerity cuts.

Erne West SDLP candidate Adam Gannon said people on the doors are “fed up and angry with the politics of division and deadlock” at Stormont and that this election is an opportunity for them to respond. He believes jobs for young people, rural roads, health and Brexit business advice are the key issues.

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Alliance’s Stephen Donnelly and anti-gold mine candidate Emmet McAleer are possible dark horses.

YOUR CANDIDATES

Enniskillen

Matthew Beaumont (Alliance)


Paul Blake (SDLP)


Debbie Coleman (Green Party)


Debbie Cole (Sinn Fein)


Donald Crawford (TUV)


Keith Elliott (DUP)


Robert Irvine (UUP)


Tommy Maguire (SF)


Donal O’Cofaigh (Cross Community Labour Alternative)


Howard Thornton (UUP)


Simon Wiggins (DUP)

Erne East

Sheamus Greene (SF)


Noeleen Hayes (SF)


Brian McCaffrey (SF)


John McCluskey (Ind)


Gerry McHugh (Aontu)


Garbhan McPhillips (SDLP)


Thomas O’Reilly (SF)


Paul Robinson (DUP)


Victor Warrington (UUP)


Caroline Wheeler (Ind)

Erne West

Trevor Armstrong (Ind)


Alex Baird (UUP)


Anthony Feely (SF)


Adam Gannon (SDLP)


Carol Johnston (DUP)


Fionnuala Leaonard (SF)


Chris McCaffrey (SF)


Bernice Swift (Ind)

Erne North

Deborah Armstrong (DUP)


Diana Armstrong (UUP)


John Coyle (SDLP)


Siobhan Currie (SF)


Alex Elliott (TUV)


John Feely (SF)


Lewis Jennings (Democrats and Veterans Party)


Diane Little (Alliance)


David Mahon (DUP)


John McClaughry (UUP)

Mid Tyrone

Richard Bullick (Alliance)


Sean Clarke (SF)


Sean Donnelly (SF)


Catherine Kelly (SF)


Padraigin Kelly (SF)


James Managh (DUP)


Emmet McAleer (Ind)


Kevin McColgan (SF)


Bernard McGrath (SDLP)


Rosemarie Shields (Aontu) ex SDLP


Bert Wilson (UUP)

Omagh

Barry Brown (CISTA)


Charles Chittick (TUV)


Will Convey (Ind)


Josephine Deehan (Ind)


Joanne Donnelly (Ind)


Stephen Donnelly (Alliance)


Anne Marie Fitzgerald (SF)


Susan Glass (Green Party)


Lee Hawkes (SDLP)


Sorcha McAnespy (Ind)


Marty McColgan (SF)


Barry McElduff (SF)


Jacinta McKeown (SDLP)


Chris Smyth (UUP)


Margaret Swift (Aontu)


Errol Thompson (DUP)

West Tyrone

Mark Buchanan (DUP)


Glenn Campbell (SF)


Fia Cowan (Alliance)


Ann Marie Donnelly (SF)


Frankie Donnelly (SF)


Mary Garrity (SDLP)


Stephen McCann (SF)


Cathal McCrory (Aontu)

Related topics:UUPOmaghSinn FeinDUP