Catherine Connolly’s Presidential victory ‘the start of a movement for an alternative Ireland’

By Philip Rooney, The Sligo Champion

The celebrations in the Mercy College count centre were low key on Saturday afternoon as it became apparent Catherine Connolly was on course for a decisive victory. With no doubt about the outcome Cllr Declan Bree began to ready himself for the journey to Dublin for the official declaration.

Prior to his departure Cllr Bree noted he had been in Dublin for the declaration of Mary Robinson’s victory 35 years ago but conceded it was extra special to be making the journey to toast Catherine Connolly’s victory.

Speaking to The Sligo Champion, the Sligo-Leitrim Director of Elections of the ‘Connolly for President’ campaign, Cllr Declan Bree, who is a brother-in-law of Catherine Connolly, said: “This has been a stunning result for Catherine Connolly and all those involved in her election campaign.

“Today in Sligo-Leitrim and in constituencies throughout the country we have defeated the government and put a voice for ordinary people, for peace, housing, justice and solidarity into Áras an Uachtaráin.

“Despite a negative campaign of fears and smears from the political establishment, people have delivered the largest Presidential vote ever for Catherine Connolly.

“Throughout our campaign, we built a popular unity around Catherine’s platform.

“We engaged thousands of people nationwide into participating and building this movement up from the grassroots.

“Today it is clear that people voted for the values which Catherine Connolly stands for – defending our neutrality, opposing war and genocide and ending the normalisation of homelessness and inequality.

“The vote represents a resounding defeat for the politics of Fine Gael and Fianna Fail and has shown that a left which unites and fights can develop the momentum to create a better Ireland.

“In terms of the campaign in the constituency I would like to take this opportunity to thank a number of people including Chris MacManus Director of Canvass, Pat Fallon, Michelle Brennan Shyabo and Helga Keogh. Also the leads in our postering teams Terry McGowan, Johnny Markey, John Cronogue.

“Thanks are also due to elected representatives and colleagues from Sligo including Mayor Cllr Gino O Boyle, Cllr Arthur Gibbons, Cllr Ann Higgins, Cllr Thomas Healy and Senator Nessa Cosgrove - And from Leitrim Deputy Martin Kenny, Cllr Eddie Mitchell, Cllr Brendan Barry, Cllr Padraig Fallon, Cllr Roisín Kenny and Cllr Cormac Flynn.

“Thanks also to the members of People before Profit, Sinn Fein, Labour and Social Democrats and the very large number of grass root activists who canvassed the highways and byways of this constituency.

“It was an amazing campaign, an intense campaign, with a huge number of households canvassed.

“I also must mention Catherine’s two sisters Teresa Connolly and Margaret Connolly, they did not leave a stone unturned in terms of the effort they put in to make the campaign a success.

“But the biggest thanks of all must go to the people in this constituency, in Sligo and Leitrim and South Donegal who have voted for Catherine and who made us so welcome at the doorsteps and who encouraged us on a daily basis through-out the election campaign. Today is their day. It is their victory.

“In this election people had a choice between a candidate who supported a Government which is overseeing a housing crisis, a waiting list crisis in the health sector, a cost of living crisis - and a candidate who has been standing up for those who are suffering.

“People had a choice between a Fine Gael candidate who suggested that the Occupied Territories Bill will not make any difference and a candidate who has been consistent for decades in opposing the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

“People had a clear choice between a Fine Gael candidate who supports the government's moves to scrap the Triple Lock and fundamentally undermine neutrality and a candidate who defends neutrality.

“The victory today does not mark the end of the campaign. I believe it actually marks the start of a movement for an alternative Ireland, an Ireland that will put hope and fairness back at the heart of our politics and makes change not just possible but inevitable,” Cllr Bree said.