A Laois native is set to run in the 2024 Local Elections for a seat on Offaly County Council.
Sean Mortimer, who is from Camross but lives in Kinnity, has been approached by Fianna Fail to run.
This will not be Mortimer’s first foray into politics as he previously sought the Fianna Fail nomination in Laois in 2019.
Back then, he looked to get on the ticket in the Borris-In-Ossory-Mountmellick District.
He went up against former GAA president Liam O’Neill but the Trumera man defeated him by 64 votes to 30.
Like Laois, Offaly is split into three Electoral areas and Kinnity is located in the Birr District.
It covers areas such as Banagher, Clonmacnoise, Ferbane, Gallen, Gorteen, Kilcormac, Kinnitty, Shannonbridge and Shinrone.
Of the six sitting Councillors, Fianna Fail currently have two in the area Peter Ormond and Eamon Dooley.
Fine Gael’s John Clendennen and John Leahy, who contested three General Elections, also sit here.
The last two Councillors currently in the area are John Carroll, who is an Independent, and Clare Claffey of the Social Democrats.
Unlike in Laois, nominations for the Fianna Fail party to run for election have not yet closed.
Mortimer is well known in Laois circles through the GAA where he served on the County Board.
In his time, Mortimer was hurling board chairman and vice-chairman of the County Board itself where he worked under Peter O’Neill.
Mortimer, who owns a dairy business with operations in Africa, has remained involved in the GAA since his relocation to Offaly.
He is now assistant Development Officer with Offaly County Board and vice-chairman of Kinnity Camogie club where he manages the U-16s.
He is also part of a project to get a centre of excellence for Offaly camogie in Birr and is also involved with their U-14s.
The 2024 Local elections are set to take place next May.
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