Progressive Democrats TD Noel Grealish (41) comes from a Fianna Fáil background in north Galway, but says he was in Salthill's Leisureland when his party was initiated in 1985.
The single deputy from Carnmore owns a glass business in Briarhill Business Park, Galway. He first contested an election in 1999, when he was returned to Galway County Council for the Oranmore area.
His national debut arose when the party's junior minister Bobby Molloy resigned before the 2002 election after a row over his representation for a jailed constituent. Molloy devised a strategy of running three party candidates at geographical intervals.
Two city councillors, Donal Lyons and Declan McDonnell, ran on the three- party ticket, with Grealish as the one county councillor. It proved successful, with Grealish edging out Fianna Fáil's Margaret Cox for the fifth seat after transfers from colleagues and Fine Gael.
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