Fianna Fáil activists in Mayo snubbed party headquarters yesterday in defying its preferred strategy to fight the five-seat constituency in the next general election.
Party headquarters wanted candidates from Ballina and Castlebar to join Knock-based TD John Carty on the party ticket at the convention, which was contested by nine candidates and chaired by Minister for Communications Noel Dempsey.
Delegates, however, gave a resounding victory to Newport-based former senator Frank Chambers, when they elected him with Ballina-based Dara Colleary.
Mr Chambers's victory was warmly welcomed by up to 600 delegates who gathered in the Traveller's Friend hotel in Castlebar where Fine Gael leader and local TD Enda Kenny celebrated 30 years in national politics on Friday night.
To loud applause, Mr Chambers sang a verse of The West's Awake and noted that he had received 5,732 first-preference votes in the last general election.
"I am highly honoured by your support," he told delegates. "You have made a definitive decision. I want to thank Minister Dempsey for the manner in which he chaired this convention, but I do think there is a very strong message in the vote you have democratically cast today as to how this constituency is to be faced up to in the next general election."
The attendance included party vice-president and former minister and MEP, Gerard Collins, who was given the job by party headquarters to overhaul the local organisation. This followed the standing down of the Micheál Ó Moráin Cumann in Castlebar, now without a Fianna Fáil candidate in the next general election. This is good news for Independent FF TD Beverley Flynn who is now unchallenged by her former party in her Castlebar base.
However, there was speculation last night that party headquarters might add Denis Gallagher, an unsuccessful candidate at yesterday's convention, to the ticket. He is the son of a former TD and Minister, the late Denis Gallagher.
Mr Colleary is a son of former TD and minister of state Seán Colleary, who was among the platform party at the convention. In an upbeat speech, Mr Colleary thanked delegates for nominating him and appealed for unity within the local party organisation. "I know there is a desire on your party, as members of Fianna Fáil, to place the divisions of the past number of years in the past and focus on regaining three seats for Fianna Fáil in the next general election," he said.
But it was unquestionably Mr Chambers's day. Last week, he issued a statement saying "delegates will not be bullied or harassed into accepting national party policy".
As well as Mr Carty, Mr Kenny and Ms Flynn, Mayo is represented in the Dáil by Independent TD Dr Jerry Cowley and Fine Gael's Michael Ring.