Internal rivalries bedevil Fianna Fáil politics in Clare as speculation grows about the future intentions of Síle de Valera, writes Michael O'Regan
Senator Brendan Daly's recent announcement that he intends to seek a nomination to contest the next general election has added a further complication to an already complex political scenario for Fianna Fáil in its onetime stronghold of Clare.
Mr Daly, a former minister and TD, who was first elected to the Dáil in 1973, will be 67 by the time the next election is due to take place in mid-2007. "There will be a political bloodbath for the nomination and the seats," a Fianna Fáil source told The Irish Times.
Fianna Fáil junior ministers Síle de Valera and Tony Killeen currently have the two Fianna Fáil seats, while Pat Breen has the Fine Gael seat and James Breen, who topped the poll last time, has an Independent seat.
Mr Breen was a Fianna Fáil activist who was bitterly disappointed when he failed to get a party nomination. As in the case of Kerry South's Jackie Healy-Rae, he ran as an Independent, securing 9,721 first-preference votes, and went on to take the first seat on the second count.
Mr Breen is a tough, streetwise, grassroots politician, in the mould of Mr Healy-Rae, and he will not be easily dislodged by his onetime Fianna Fáil colleagues.
Mr Killeen, whose promotion to the junior ministerial ranks was regarded as long overdue, will run again. However, there is considerable speculation in Clare and Leinster House about Ms de Valera's future intentions. Her low profile in recent months is a source of irritation to Fianna Fáil headquarters in Mount Street, and the word in party circles is that Taoiseach Bertie Ahern is not best pleased with the grand-daughter of the founder of the party.
Ms de Valera was unavailable for comment yesterday.
Éamon de Valera's links with Clare date back to June 1917, when he was elected MP for the constituency on one of the then Sinn Féin electoral breakthroughs. He went on to represent Clare in the Dáil and was taoiseach for 21 years and president for 14.
Until Mr Daly decided to throw his hat in the ring, the speculation was that Fianna Fáil's third candidate would be Senator Timmy Dooley, from Mountshannon. He will now do battle with Mr Daly for a nomination, with the outcome much depending on what Ms de Valera decides to do.
There was a time when Fine Gael had two seats in Clare, and the party will be hoping for a second seat at the next election. Those in the running to stand with Pat Breen include former TD and senator Madeleine Taylor-Quinn and Ennis-based councillor Joe Carey, who topped the poll in the local elections with an impressive 1,939 first preferences. He is the son of former TD and junior minister Donal Carey.