New political dynasty could emerge in Kerry

The possible emergence of a new political dynasty and the attempted consolidation of another are features of the keenly contested local elections in Kerry.

Sinn Fein's Mr Martin Ferris, who has his eye firmly fixed on a Dail seat in North Kerry, is running for Kerry County Council and Tralee Urban Council. Mr Mike Healy-Rae, a son of the Independent South Kerry TD, Mr Jackie Healy-Rae, is seeking a county council seat with an eye to eventually succeeding his father in the Dail.

Mr Ferris, who spent 13 years in prison for attempting to import arms, polled 5,691 first preferences in the last general election.

In the county council election, Mr Ferris is contesting the Tralee electoral area, where he is in competition with the North Kerry Fianna Fail TD, Mr Denis Foley; Mr Tom McEllistrim jnr, a son of the former FF TD Mr Tom McEllistrim; Labour's Ms Maeve Spring, a sister of Mr Dick Spring TD, and Mr Billy Leen, a onetime leading Sinn Fein activist who is running as an independent this time. Mr Mike Healy-Rae is seeking a county council seat in the Killorglin electoral area, where the candidates include Mr Paul O'Donoghue, a brother of the Minister for Justice and South Kerry FF TD, Mr John O'Donoghue, whose rivalry with Mr Jackie Healy-Rae is the stuff of political legend.

Mr Jackie Healy-Rae, Labour TD Ms Breda Moynihan-Cronin, and Fine Gael's Senator Paul Coghlan are among those contesting the Killarney electoral area. Mr Brian O'Leary, a son of the former South Kerry FF TD, Mr John O'Leary; Mr Brendan Cronin, a son of the retiring long-serving councillor Mr P. J. Cronin, and Mr Michael Gleeson, of the South Kerry Independent Alliance, are also among the candidates.

The North Kerry Fine Gael TD, Mr Jimmy Deenihan, who stood down from the county council when appointed a minister of state in the Rainbow coalition, and FF's Senator Dan Kiely and Mr Ned O'Sullivan, seen as possible future Dail candidates, are running in the Listowel electoral area.

The Green Party's Mr Conor Fitzgerald, once described by Mr Trevor Sargent TD as Europe's most westerly elected Green politician, is attempting to retain his seat on Tralee Urban Council. Mr Eddie McCarthy is contesting the county council elections in the Tralee electoral area for the party.

Fianna Fail, with the support of an independent, Mr Tommy Foley, held the balance of power for a time on the outgoing county council. That unravelled when Mr Jackie Healy-Rae and another FF councillor, Mr Breandan Mac Gearailt, left the party to become Independents, although Mr Mac Gearailt has since returned to the fold.

There is no certainty that this election will see FF regain control of the county council. The decision of six long-serving and high-profile councillors not to seek reelection makes the result even more unpredictable.