NORTH TIPPERARY COUNTY COUNCIL:THE ENIGMA that is Michael Lowry has seen the former Fine Gael minister triumph again with his loyal band of followers in North Tipperary.
Not satisfied with securing a strong first preference vote in the last general election, the Independent TD embarked upon a campaign to boost his influence on North Tipperary County Council with a team of five Independent candidates.
Following what has been heralded as an unprecedented success, the Lowry team doubled its representation from two to four with John “Rocky” McGrath and Eddie Moran joining sitting councillors Michael O’Meara and his son Michael Lowry.
The Lowry team also ran candidates for town council elections in Templemore and Thurles with Michael Grogan and Evelyn Nevin securing seats on Thurles Town Council while Valerie Young secured a seat on Templemore Town Council.
Mr Lowry noted his party was now bigger than the Green Party nationally with four county councillors and three town councillors.
However, there was disappointment with one of his fiercest allies, Independent Willie Kennedy, losing his seat after 27 years on the county council by a very slender margin following a recount in Thurles.
Templemore town councillor Myles McMorrow also lost his seat but this was offset by Valerie Young securing a seat and maintaining the Lowry team’s presence.
“It is a phenomenal achievement to field five candidates in the county council election and, to get four of them elected and one beaten by just 11 votes is, in anybody’s language, a huge performance,” Mr Lowry said.
“It’s a tribute to the quality of the candidates we had and to the co-ordination of the campaign. Not only were the candidates elected but they were comfortably elected.”
Mr Lowry added: “During my political life I have been surrounded by controversy but these guys stood for me and allowed themselves to go under the banner of the Lowry team. We have a great band who show fantastic loyalty to me and for them, I’m absolutely thrilled that the public acknowledged them as part of a team.”
On the configuration of the previously Fianna Fáil-dominated county council, Mr Lowry said he had already been approached by Fine Gael and Labour.
“We would certainly be interested in speaking with Fine Gael and Labour and between the three of us we could break the monopoly that the Fianna Fáil party have had on North Tipperary County Council. If terms can be agreed, we would happy to do that,” he concluded.