Irish People Party candidate joins Galway by-election race
On the eve of Government approving the official voting day for the Galway West by-election, The Irish People Party have put forward a candidate.
The Irish People Party have selected AJ Cahill, hailing from Salthill, to contest for their party in May for the Galway West seat left vacant by independent TD, now president, Catherine Connolly.
Mr Cahill has worked as an engineer before returning home to Galway City and running a nationalist campaign for the by-election.
“I am standing as the sole candidate committed to nationalist unity,” Mr Cahill said in his Irish People Party candidacy announcement. “I refuse to allow the destructive vote-splitting of the past to undermine our movement, and I remain the only choice for those who believe in prioritising housing for the Irish and implementing a firm policy of remigration.”
Immigration will stand at the forefront of his campaign, he said as he criticised the current Government and what he described as “fake opposition”.
A Nationalist Party statement said the expectation for nationalist groups was to withhold a nomination for the by-election and instead endorse Independent Ireland’s Noel Thomas in the running, however, “these notions have been dismissed entirely."
“In the next general elections, the National Party will have more candidates, more active members, and more support,” the statement read.
Mr Cahill ran in the 2024 general election with the National Alliance – a three-party far right coalition. He garnered 631 votes total and was eliminated on the third count.
“I am calling on all those who want a cohesive and sovereign Ireland to join me on the ground; together, we will build a movement capable of securing our nation’s future in the next general election and beyond,” he said.
The decision to approve a May 22 date to hold the official election for both the Galway West and Dublin central seat is expected to take place this evening, April 22.
A total of 12 candidates are now on the ticket for the elction. They are: Sinn Fein’s Mark Lohan, Independent Ireland Councillor Noel Thomas; Independent Councillor Tom Welby; Green Party representative Niall Murphy; Independent Sheila Garrity; Labour Councillor Helen Ogbu; Aontú’s Orla Nugent; Social Democrats candidate Míde Nic Fhionnlaoich; Fine Gael’s Seán Kyne; Independent Mike Cubbard; and Fianna Fáil Cillian Kean.