BEARA man Finbarr Harrington – who was beaten by one vote by Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns to take the last Council seat in 2019 – has announced he will run as a candidate in the 2024 local elections.
Finbarr, a machine operator, previously sought election in 2014. On that occasion, he polled a respectable 1,225 first preference vote but was eliminated on the twelfth count.
But it was his bid to take a Council seat in 2019 that was unprecedented. He started out with a strong first preference vote of 1,100 and, at the eighth and final count in Clonakilty, he was deemed to be ahead by a single vote at 1,865.
However, a painstaking recount at County Hall saw Holly’s number of votes increase by two to 1,866, which meant independent Finbarr was ‘a councillor for a day.’
His planned third attempt, with next year’s local elections in mind, was prompted by family, friends and supporters who believe there is a public representation deficit on the Beara peninsula.
For the last five years, Finbarr has also been a member of the West Cork LCDC and LAG group, which delivers funding for community and Leader projects in West Cork.
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