Fine Gael aims to hold 10 early selection conventions in especially targeted constituencies so candidates can get to work well in advance. Michael Creed and Gerard Murphy have been selected in Cork North West and Noel Coonan in Tipp North. Dublin North Central and Dublin South Central are next on the list, but Donegal North East where, since Paddy Harte lost his seat in 1997, FG has had no deputy, had its turn last Sunday. Bernard McGuinness, one of the two FG candidates for the Seanad by-elections (polling June 2nd) was chosen with a proviso that A. N. Other would be added. This will be either Councillor Joe MacHugh of Milford or Councillor Sean Maloney of Letterkenny, who recently defected from Labour.
Deputy leader Nora Owen, Quidnunc hears, chaired a fractious convention with great skill, particularly when a dispute broke about as to whether Maloney or MacHugh should speak first. Apparently on the ballot paper all Macs are officially taken as Mc, so Maloney got precedence. Why should it matter on this occasion? Because the other two candidates, one of them Jimmy Harte, withdrew, so there were implications in speaking order. The joys of politics!