Adrian Kavanagh,  First posted 9th October 2018, with updates to follow as I become aware of new candidate declarations. 

This is the latest in my series of rolling blog posts, in which I detail the latest information as to candidate selections relating to the different political parties and grouping and/or candidate declarations (as in the case of the non-party grouping) ahead of the 2019 City and County Council elections. This post will focus on non-party/independent candidates. Back in June 2014, the non-party/independents grouping accounted for one hundred and ninety four City/County Councillors, following on a very successful set of election contests for non-party candidates at the 2014 Local Elections. Due to various defections to the non-party ranks from different political parties over the following months and years, the number of Independent/Non-Party City/County Councillors (as of 26th April 2019) has climbed to two hundred and thirteen, according to my best estimates.

As of now (7th June 2019), there are four hundred and ninety seven non party/independent candidates listed here (a number of the listed candidates contested two electoral areas).

Ninety six of these candidates are women (19.3%) and four hundred and one (80.7%) are men.

This list includes fourteen Indepdendent4Change candidates – eight (57.1%) of these candidates are female (Cllr. Ruth Nolan is contesting two electoral areas).

(The relatively low number of candidates listed here up until the updated posts in early May 2019 merely reflected the fact that information about non party/independent candidate declarations can often be very hard to find, especially as there is no formal selection convention process involved here. In a large number of cases, information about some independent/non party candidate declarations may only emerge after the formal period of candidate nominations has closed and the official candidate lists for the different electoral areas been drawn up.)

One hundred and seventy seven (35.7%) of these declared non-party candidates are currently incumbents (City/County Council members). 35.0% of male Independent local election candidates are incumbents, as opposed to 38.5% of female Independent candidates. At least twenty two (4.4%) other candidates have previously held some form of electoral office.

The non party/independent candidates who are contesting these elections include the following people (Please note that, as in the other similar posts, any links that are provided here are to posts/newspaper reports offering “evidence” of their candidatures and will not link back to candidate websites.):

Electoral Area	Independent/Non-Party candidate
Carlow
Carlow	Cllr. John Cassin, Bernard Jennings
Tullow	Cllr. Charlie Murphy, Billy Nolan
Muinebeag	David O’Brien
Cavan
Bailieborough-Cootehill
Ballyjamesduff
Cavan- Belturbert	Brendan Fay
Clare
Ennis	Cllr. Ann Norton, Amanda Major, Dermot Hayes, Alfonso D’Auria, Frank “Pinky” Cullinan, Andre Hakizimana
Killaloe	Joe Floyd
Shannon	Cllr. Gerry Flynn, Cllr. PJ Ryan, Cllr. Michael Begley
Ennistimon
Kilrush	Cllr. Ian Lynch, Noreen Lynch, Joseph Woulfe
Cork County
Carrigaline	Cllr. Marcia D’Alton, Ben Dalton O’Sullivan
Bandon- Kinsale	Cllr. Alan Coleman, Cormac Hayes, Pat O’Regan
Macroom	Nigel Dennehy, Martin Coughlan, Mary O’Callaghan Hallissey
Cobh	Seán O’Connor, Karen Doyle Independent4Change, Peter Kidney
Midleton	Cllr. Mary Linehan Foley, Martin E. Murray, Noel Collins
Fermoy
Kanturk	Ado Mazombe
Mallow
Bantry	Cllr. Danny Collins, Finbarr Harrington
Clonakilty- Skibbereen	Cllr. Declan Hurley, Brendan McCormack
Cork City
Cork City North East	Cllr. Ger Keohane, Sean O’Sullivan, Mobolaji Taiwo Ajisafe, Noreen Murphy
Cork City North West	Cllr. Kevin Conway, Joe O’Callaghan, Sandra Condon, Timothy J. Hogan
Cork City South Central	Cllr. Paudie Dineen, Cllr. Mick Finn, Lekha Menon Margassery, Sean Cronin, Ciaran Kenneally, Suzanne Hegarty, Graham O’Shea, Maurice Sexton
Cork City South East	Cllr. Kieran McCarthy
Cork City South West	Cllr. Thomas Moloney
Donegal
Donegal	Valerie McNulty, Cllr. Tom Conaghan, Cllr. Seamus Maguire, Billy Grimes, Diarmaid Doherty, Justin Coughlin, Cllr. Niamh Kennedy, Sean O’Beirne, Pauric Kennedy
Glenties	Cllr. Micheál Cholm MacGiolla Easbuig, Liam Whyte
Milford	Cllr. Ian McGarvey, Cllr. John O’Donnell, Declan Meehan, Charlie McGinley
Buncrana	Cllr. Nicholas Crossan, Sinéad Stewart, Frankie Lavelle, Mark McKinney
Letterkenny	Cllr. Michael McBride, Cathal MacFhloinn, Finnian O’Donnell, Thoiba Ahmed, Kevin Bradley, Charlie McClafferty
Carndonagh	Arthur Desmond McGuinness
Lifford- Stranorlar	Alan McMenamin, Michael De Ward
Dublin City
Ballyfermot- Drimnagh	Cllr. Vincent Jackson, Richard Murray, Robert Michael Foley, Nicky Uzell Independent4Change
Ballymun- Finglas	Cllr. Noeleen Reilly, Diarmuid MacDubhghlais, Bernie Hughes Independents4Change, Linda Greene, Lucy O’Connor
Artane- Whitehall	Cllr. John Lyons, Cllr. Paddy Bourke, Paul Clarke
Donaghmede	Niamh McDonald
Cabra- Glasnevin	Cllr. Cieran Perry, Micheál Kelliher Independents4Change, Stephen O’Loughlin, Seán McCabe, Sarah Louise Mulligan
Clontarf	Cllr. Damian O Farrell, Michael Paul Burke
Kimmage- Rathmines	Cllr. Ruari McGinley, Cllr. Pat Dunne Independents4Change, Samantha Long, Sarah Lipsett, Garrett McCafferty
North Inner City	Cllr. Christy Burke, Cllr. Nial Ring, Anthony Flynn, Neil Armstrong, Marius Marosan, Joseph McGucken, Marcin Czechowicz, S.G. Raja Sekhar Reddy
South West Inner City	Patrick Coyne
South East Inner City	Cllr. Mannix Flynn, Cllr. Sonya Stapleton Independents4Change
Pembroke	Simon Cox
Dún Laoghaire- Rathdown
Blackrock	Reji Chacko Jacob
Dún Laoghaire	Cllr. Michael Merrigan
Dundrum	Cllr. Anne Colgan, Cllr. Seamas O’Neill, Sean McLoughlin
Glencullen- Sandyford	Cllr. Kevin Daly, Cllr. Lynsey McGovern, Michael Fleming
Killiney- Shankill	Sandra Archer
Stillorgan	Cllr. Deirdre Donnelly, Gearóid O Keeffe
Fingal County
Balbriggan	Cllr. Grainne Maguire, Cllr. Tony Murphy, Martin Hughes
Rush Lusk	Cllr. Cathal Boland, Roslyn Fuller, Eóin Corcoran, Sandra Sweetman, Glenn Brady, Davin Browne
Castleknock	Kevin Mullally
Howth- Malahide	Cllr. Jimmy Guerin, Tom Daly
Blanchardstown- Mulhuddart	Cllr. Lorna Nolan, Aran Smeallie, Robert Loughlin, Marius Marosan
Ongar	Cllr. Tania Doyle, Raghu Nath Narayanam, Ramesh Racherla
Swords	Cllr. Joe Newman, Duane Michael Brown, Dean Mulligan Independent4Change,  James Fitzpatrick, Paul Uzo, Fergal O’Connell
South Dublin County
Clondalkin	Cllr. Francis Timmons, Shakeel Jeeroburkan, Eoin Ó Broin, David Moore Independent4Change
Palmerstown- Fonthill	Alan Hayes, Cllr. Gus O’Connell, Cllr. Ruth Nolan Independent4Change Sikandar Jahanzab, Cllr. Paul Gogarty
Lucan	Cllr. Liona O’Toole, Cllr. Ruth Nolan Independent4Change, Cllr. Paul Gogarty, Anwar Malik
Tallaght Central	Cllr. Mick Duff
Tallaght South	Ray Kelly
Rathfarnham- Templeogue	Cllr. Ronan McMahon
Firhouse-Bohernabreena	Alan Edge
Galway City
Galway City Central	Cllr. Colette Connolly, Cllr. Mike Cubbard, Mike Geraghty, Patrick Feeney, , James O’Toole, Daragh O’Flaherty
Galway City East	Cllr. Noel Larkin, Cllr. Declan McDonnell, Cllr. Terry O’Flaherty, Pat Hardiman, Michael Tully
Galway City West	Cllr. Donal Lyons, Marc Anderson, Darius Ivan, Marian Maloney, Patrick Feeney, Claire Keegan, Tommy Roddy
Galway County
Athenry- Oranmore	Cllr. James Charity, Cllr. Gabe Cronnelly, Cllr. Jim Cuddy, Josette Farrell
Gort Kinvara	Geraldine Donohue, Declan Diviney, Hubert Geoghegan, Cormac MacGowan Independent4Change
Ballinasloe	Cllr. Timmy Broderick, Aisling Dolan, Declan Geraghty, Harriet Bruce
Conamara North	Cllr. Tom Welby, Josie Conneely, Críostóir Breathnach
Conamara South	Cllr. Tomás Ó Curraoin, Críostóir Breathnach, Patrick Feeney
Loughrea	Cllr. Pat Hynes, Eoin Madden
Tuam	Cllr. Karey McHugh, Cllr. Shaun Cunniffe, Cllr. Billy Conneelly, Thomas (T.P.) Niland, Dermot Ryan
Kerry
Killarney	Cllr. Maura Healy-Rae, Cllr. Michael Gleeson KIA, Cllr. Brendan Cronin, Cllr. Donal Grady, Niall Botty O’Callaghan
Listowel	Michael Pixie O’Gorman, John Martin O’Sullivan
An Daingean	David Russell
Kenmare	Cllr. Johnny Healy-Rae, Cllr. Dan McCarthy
Castleisland	Jackie Healy-Rae Junior, Charlie Farrelly
Tralee	Cllr. Sam Locke, Yvonne Dineen, Ted Cronin, Denis O’Reilly
Kildare
Athy	Tony McNamee
Celbridge	Cllr. Brendan Young, Cllr. Íde Cussen, Tony Murray, Michael Beirne, Peter Kavanagh
Leixlip	Cllr. Anthony Larkin, Michael Reidy, Sean Gill
Maynooth	Cllr. Teresa Murray, John Reid
Clane	Cllr. Padraig McEvoy, Tomas Hogan
Kildare	Declan Crowe
Newbridge	Cllr. Fiona McLoughlin Healy, Cllr. Morgan McCabe, Gerard Delaney
Naas	Cllr. Sorcha O’Neill, Cllr. Seamie Moore, Gerard Dunne
Kilkenny
Castlecomer
Kilkenny	Luke O’Connor, Eugene McGuinness, Enya Kennedy, Noel Gerard Walsh
Callan- Thomastown	Trish Finegan, Cllr. Breda Gardner, Michael McGrath, John Kelly, John Carroll
Piltown	Cllr. Melissa O’Neill, Alan Curran
Laois
Borris in Ossory- Mountmellick	Cllr. James Kelly, Cllr. Brendan Phelan, Oliver Clooney, Brian Furlong, Ger Hogan
Graiguecullen-Portarlington	Cllr. Ben Brennan
Portlaoise	Naeem Iqbal, Tom Duffy, Judy Preston-Grace,
Leitrim
Ballinamore	Cllr. Gerry Dolan, Sean Wynne, Denis O’Brien
Carrick-on-Shannon	Cllr. Enda Stenson, Cllr. Des Guckian, Yvonne Hollidge, Sean Wynne , Denis O’Brien
Manorhamilton	Cllr. Felim Gurn, Jamie Murphy
Limerick
Limerick City East	Noel Hannan, Derek Mulcahy, Diarmuid Ryan
Limerick City North	Cllr. Frankie Daly, Kevin Kiely, Ruth Clarke, Des Hayes, Dean Quinn
Limerick City West	Cllr. John Loftus, Mark Carey, Cathal McCarthy, Sunnymartins Duruagwu, Fergus Kilcoyne, Jamie Morrisey, Jim Long
Adare- Rathkeale	Cllr. Emmett O’Brien, Cllr. Richard O’Donoghue
Cappamore- Kilmallock	Cllr. Brigid Teefy, PJ Carey
Newcastle West	Christy Kelly, Sean O’Mahony
Longford
Ballymahon	Cllr. Mark Casey, Tony Moran, PJ Walsh, Charlie McMonagle
Granard	Turlough Pott McGovern, Grace Kearney
Longford	Cllr. Mae Sexton, Cllr. Gerry Warnock, Julia O’Reilly Tony Reilly, Seamus Gallagher, George Breaden
Louth
Ardee	Cllr. Jim Tenanty, Hugh D Conlon, Enda Murray, Albert D. Byrne, Kevin Carroll
Drogheda Urban	Cllr. Kevin Callan, Cllr. Frank Godfrey, Paddy McQuillan
Drogheda Rural	Cllr. Kevin Callan, Cllr. Frank Godfrey
Dundalk- Carlingford
Dundalk- South	Cllr. Maeve Yore, Oliver Morgan
Mayo
Ballina	Cllr. Seamus Weir, Mark Duffy, Willie Nolan
Castlebar	Cllr. Michael Kilcoyne, Harry Barrett, Gerry Loftus, Antoin Mac An Bheatha (Anthony Vesey), Aidan Crowley
Claremorris	Cllr. Richard Finn
Swinford	Sean Forkin
Belmullet	Jay Heneghan
Westport	Cllr. Christy Hyland, Darragh McGee, John O’Malley, Frank McAlonan
Meath
Ashbourne	Cllr. Joe Bonner, Cllr. Sharon Keogan
Kells	Cllr. David Gilroy
Laytown- Bettystown	Cllr. Sharon Keogan, Cllr. Tom Kelly, Patrick Smith
Navan	Cllr. Francis Deane, Cllr. Wayne Forde, Alan Lawes, Stephen Ball
Ratoath	Cllr. Brian Fitzgerald, Cllr. Nick Killian, Fergus O’Riordan, Cllr. Gillian Toole, Seán Henry
Trim	Cllr. Trevor Golden
Monaghan
Ballybay- Clones	Cllr. Hughie McElvaney
Carrickmacross- Castleblaney
Monaghan	Cllr. Paudge Connolly, Cllr. Seamus Treanor, Tommy Hagan, Alvin McGlone, Paddy Grenham, James Mee
Offaly
Birr	Cllr. John Carroll, Joe Wynne, Habibul Mukhtiar
Edenderry	Cllr. John Foley, Fergus McDonnell
Tullamore	Sean O’Brien, John Bracken
Roscommon
Athlone (Roscommon)	Cllr. Ivan Connaughton, Cllr. Tony Ward, Cllr. Laurence Fallon, Donal Kilduff, Derek McCabe
Boyle	Cllr. Valerie Byrne HAC, Tom Crosby, Sajjad Hussain, Mary O’Donnell
Roscommon	Cllr. Kathleen Shanagher, Cllr. Nigel Dineen, Cllr. Domnick Connolly, Tony Waldron, Padraig Morris, John Groarke
Sligo
Ballymote- Tobercurry	Cllr. Joe Queenan, Cllr. Michael Clarke, Barry Gallagher, Willie Gormley
Sligo- Drumcliff	Cllr. Marie Casserly, Amanda Gallagher, Corey Whyte Independents4Change
Sligo- Strandhill	Cllr. Declan Bree Independents4Change, Jimmy McGarry
Tipperary
Carrick-on- Suir	Cllr. Michael O’Meara, Pierce O’Loughlin
Cahir	Cllr. Andy Maloney, Cllr. Martin Lonergan, Máirín McGrath
Cashel- Tipperary	Annemarie Ryan March4Tipp, Lisa Flynn March4Tipp, Barry Walsh March4Tipp
Clonmel	Cllr. Richie Molloy, Niall P. Dennehy
Nenagh	Cllr. Seamus Morris, Cllr. Joe Hannigan, Cllr. Michael O’Meara (LT – “Lowry Team”), Cllr. Hughie McGrath, Graham King
Newport	John “Rocky” McGrath (LT)
Roscrea- Templemore	Cllr. Eddie Moran (LT), Shane Lee (LT), Tommy Murphy,
Thurles	Cllr. David Doran, Cllr. Michael Lowry (LT), Cllr. Jim Ryan, Tommy Barrett, Michael Bracken, Catherine Fogarty
Waterford
Waterford City East	Cllr. Davy Daniels, Cllr. Matt Shanahan, Michael Garland, Lee Walsh
Waterford City South	Cllr. Sean Reinhardt, Cllr. Cha O’Neill, Andrew Power, Donal Barry, Vivienne Burns, Brendan Byrne
Tramore- Waterford City West	Cllr. Joe Conway, Cllr. Blaise Hannigan, Cllr. Joe Kelly, Brendan Byrne
Portlaw-Kilmacthomas	Ann Troy, Dolores Whelan
Dungarvan	Cllr. Séamus O’Donnell, Caren Hallahan, Ciara Langan, Joe O’Riordan
Lismore
Westmeath
Athlone (Westmeath)	Cllr. Paul Hogan (Boxer’s Independent Team – BIT), Cllr. Michael O’Brien (BIT), Jamie Moran (BIT), Imelda Geraghty, Donal Jackson, PJ Coghill
Moate	Cllr. Michael O’Brien, Searlait Cabdi Ní Chianáin
Mullingar	Cllr. Mick Dollard, Chris Murtagh, Alice McDonnell, Sean Lynch
Kinnegad	Cllr. Úna D’Arcy
Wexford
Gorey	Jimmy Fleming
Kilmuck- ridge	Cllr. Mary Farrell
Enniscorthy	Cllr. John O’Rourke, Jackser Owens, Annette Byrne-Moran Independents4Change, John “Texas” Byrne
New Ross	Cllr. Anthony Connick, John Dwyer, Pat Barden
Rosslare (Kilmore)	Cllr. Ger Carthy, Terry Lawton, Jane Johnstone Independents4Change
Wexford	Cllr. David Hynes, Leonard Kelly
Wicklow
Arklow	Cllr. Mary McDonald, Cllr. Miriam Murphy, Tommy Breen, Pier Leonard, Pat Hoey
Baltinglass	Cllr. Gerry O’Neill, Lorraine O’Brien
Bray East	Malachai Duddy, Brendan Murphy
Bray West	Cllr. Joe Behan, Rory O’Connor
Greystones	Cllr. Tom Fortune, Mags Crean, Charlie Keddy
Wicklow	Cllr. Mary Kavanagh, Cllr. John Snell, Jimmy O’Shaughnessy, Daire Fitzgerald

I will be adding to this list as and when I come across further declarations of intentions to contest these elections on the part of other non-party candidates. This cohort of candidates often tends to be the hardest to glean information on, so this list may not be as up to date/accurate as the similar posts for the different parties.

An article by Siún Lennon on the Laois Today website (5th November 2018) reported that Cllrs. James Kelly and Ben Brennan both intend to contest the 2019 Local elections.

Corey Whyte will contest the election in Sligo-Drumcliff, as reported in the Sligo Champion (11th December 2018). As reported in the Tuam Herald (14th December 2018), Cllr. James Charity has confirmed his intention to contest the next local elections in Athenry-Oranmore. Cllr. Gabe Cronnelly, as reported in the Galway Advertiser (3rd January 2019), has also announced his intention to contest that same electoral area. As reported by the Donegal Democrat (13th December 2018), Cllr. Tom Conaghan (of Donegal Town) announced his intention to contest the next local elections.

An Evening Echo (12th December 2018) report noted that Cllr. Ger Keohane – elected in Cobh for Sinn Féin in 2014 – will be contesting the Cork City North East electoral area.

The Donegal Democrat (10th January) has reported that Brian Carr, who previously contested the 2014 elections, “is set to contest the upcoming elections”.

As reported on the Radio Kerry website (13th January 2018), David Russell, who works closely with Deputy Michael Healy-Rae, will contest the An Daingean electoral area.

As reported on the Midlands 103 website (14th January 2019), Cllr. Mick Dollard announced in January 2019 that he was leaving the Labour Party and would be contesting the next local elections as an independent candidate.

Former Councillor, John Dwyer, has announced his intention to try and regain his seat in the New Ross electoral area, as reported in the new Ross Standard (12th January 2019).

As reported on the Drogheda Life website (16th January 2019), Cllr. Kevin Callan has announced his intention to contest both the Drogheda Rural and Drogheda Urban electoral areas.

Yvonne Hollidge will be contesting the Carrick on Shannon electoral area as a non-party candidate, as reported in the Leitrim Observer (29th January 2019).

As reported in the Donegal Democrat (7th February 2019), former Fianna Fáil Ballyshannon Town Councillor, Billy Grimes, will be contesting the Donegal (Town) electoral area as an independent candidate. That edition of the Donegal Democrat also reports that former Bundoran Town Councillor, Diarmaid Doherty, will also be contesting the Donegal electoral area as a non-party candidate.

TJ Hogan announced he was going to contest the Cork City North West electoral area in December 2018, but later withdrew from the contest on personal reasons, as reported on the Evening Echo website.

Cllr. Margaret Gormley has announced her intention to contest Ballymore-Tobercurry again, but she sadly passed away on 4th April 2019. As noted on the Ocean FM website (23rd April 2019), her nephew, Willie Gormley, will now contest that electoral area as an independent candidate.

It had been expected that Rotimi Adebari, the first “New Irish” candidate to win a seat in a City and County Council election (in Portlaoise in 2014) would be contesting the election, as was reported by Laois Today (4th Febryary 2019), but he has now stated that it is “unlikely” that he will contest the elections (Leinster Express, 29th April 2019). Ger Hogan, who had announced his intention to contest Borris in Ossory-Mountmellick in February 2019 (via Laois Today, 25th February 2019), seemed to have withdrawn from the contest in the week before the close of nominations, but subsequently did appear on the ballot paper.

Paul Brophy had announced his intention to run in Kilkenny City, but withdrew from the election a few days ahead of the close of moniations, as reported by the Kilkenny People (3rd May 2019).

Gerry O’Boyle announced his intention to contest the Roscommon electoral areas, but did not subsequently appear on the ballot paper.

Claire Cullen-Delsol had announced her intention to contest Waterford City South, but did not subsequently appear on the ballot paper.

Anna Doyle had announced her intention to contest Wicklow (Town), but did not subsequently appear on the ballot paper.

Aidan Quigley had announced his intention to contest New Ross, but did not subsequently appear on the ballot paper.

Thomas Kelly, had declared his intention to contest Manorhamilton, but did not subsequently appear on the ballot paper for that electoral area.

Derek Doyle had announced his intention to contest South East Inner City, but did not appear on the final ballot paper.

Karl Mooney had announced his intention to contest the Rush Lusk electoral area, but did not appear on the final ballot paper.

Barry Mooney had announced his intention to contest the Blanchardstown-Mulhuddart electoral area, but did not appear on the final ballot paper.

Ian Croft and Derek Cryan had announced their intention to contest the Swords electoral area, but did not appear on the final ballot paper.

Sean F Ó Drisceoil had announced his intention to contest the Conamara South electoral area, but did not appear on the final ballot paper.