Former Republic of Ireland soccer international Mr Niall Quinn has rejected speculation that he will run for Fianna Fáil in the Kildare North by-election.
The rumours about Mr Quinn, who now lives in the constituency, have reached the status of an "urban myth" in some quarters in recent weeks.
"May I be struck down dead but I will never run for a political office in this country," the ex-international told The Irish Times last night.
Despite the rumours, he said he had never been approached by Fianna Fáil to run in next year's by-election caused by the departure of Mr Charlie McCreevy from the Dáil.
"I don't know where the rumour started, but it got going about six weeks ago and I have not been able to stop it since," Mr Quinn declared.
"I could never be a TD. You'd need to be born a politician. You'd need to have a neck twice as big as I have got," he said.
Fianna Fáil is due to hold a selection convention in Kildare North in late November or early December, a party spokesperson said.
Mr Charlie McCreevy jnr, the 26-year-old son of the former minister for finance, is expected to be one of those challenging for the nomination. Cllr Paul Kelly, who was elected on the sixth count in the Leixlip ward in the June local elections, is also likely to be in the contest.
