Constituency: Carlow-Kilkenny

Catherine Callaghan has already made history as the first ever female candidate selected by Fine Gael to contest the general election in the Carlow-Kilkenny constituency. A former member of the Defence Forces, Catherine is a farmer and business owner who also works as a special needs assistant. Catherine is no stranger to elections having contested her first election during the local election in Carlow in the Tullow municipal district in June. She came very close to being elected as she narrowly missed out on a seat by just one point. Catherine is the only Carlow-based candidate of the three Fine Gael candidates running for the Dail in the Carlow-Kilkenny constituency. Since Pat Deering lost his seat in 2020, there has been no Carlow-based Fine Gael TD in the constituency.

Peter ‘Chap’ Cleere was re-elected to Kilkenny County Council during June’s local elections, once again topping the poll in the Callan Thomastown municipal district. Now the former Kilkenny camogie manager has set his sights on the general election as he hopes to win back the Dáil seat previously held by the late Bobby Aylward between 2007 and 2011 and from 2015 to 2020. ‘Chap’ has been a county councillor for the past decade having served as chairman and mayor of Kilkenny. He is also currently vice chairman of Kilkenny County Council.

Far-right candidate, Orla Donohoe, contested her first elections, also for the Irish Freedom Party, during the local election in June in the Carlow town municipal district, but failed to get elected. She is now running in the general elections as the first Irish Freedom Party candidate in the Carlow-Kilkenny constituency. The mother-of-two admits she is a not a politician, but says she must stand up for what she believes is right. Orla is involved in animal welfare and sits on the parents association at her daughter’s school.

Although his first time contesting a general election, Cllr Michael Doyle is no stranger to politics. The Kilkenny man was first elected to Kilkenny County Council in 2014 and was re-elected to the Callan-Thomastown municipal district during June’s local elections. Cllr Doyle has previously served as Cathaoirleach of Kilkenny County Council, mayor of Kilkenny and has also been municipal district chairman in the Callan-Thomastown MD. In an attempt to keep and increase that Dáil seat that is due to be vacated by Fine Gael’s John Paul Phelan, Cllr Doyle is one of three candidates chosen by Fine Gael to contest the general election in the Carlow-Kilkenny constituency.

David Egan, of Johnstown, Bennekerry, Carlow, is a Service Engineer and is particularly concerned about immigration, cost of living issues, healthcare and the rental - housing crisis. Liberty Republic wants a freeze on all legal immigration.

Cllr David Fitzgerald’s ambitions beyond local politics have never been a secret. The Fine Gael man was first elected to Kilkenny Borough Council in 2009 and was recently re-elected to Kilkenny County Council during June’s local elections on the first count. Cllr Fitzgerald has served two terms as mayor of Kilkenny and also served as Cathaoirleach of Kilkenny county council. The Kilkenny man previously ran in the 2016 general election and the 2015 by-election, but missed out on a seat. He is one of three candidates chosen by Fine Gael to contest the general election in the Carlow-Kilkenny constituency.

Áine Gladney Knox contested her first elections for Sinn Féin during June’s local elections. She ran in the local elections alongside her father, Sinn Féin Cllr Andy Gladney, in the Muinebheag municipal district. Cllr Andy Gladney was re-elected to Carlow County Council, however, Áine missed out on a seat. Áine now has her sights set on national politics. Sinn Féin are hoping to retain their Carlow-Kilkenny Dáil seat that was recently vacated by Sinn Féin’s Kathleen Funchion as she took up her position as an MEP following June’s European elections.

Tom Healy is a native of Dublin but now lives in Goresbridge, Co Kilkenny. He is an economist who has formerly served in a number of government departments as well as the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. As an Independent candidate, Tom said if he is elected, he will not vote for a Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael led Government. Tom is also a volunteer with the society of St Vincent de Paul, a trade unionist, a pro-life activist and lay minister.

Eugene McGuinness, of Bishop Birch Place, Kilkenny, is a self-employed business owner and public representative. Mr McGuinness went to CBS Kilkenny, and is from a well known political family, having served in Kilkenny County Council for many years.

Deputy John McGuinness was first elected to the Dáil in 1997 after a long career in local politics, serving on Kilkenny Borough Council and Kilkenny County Council. He also served as mayor of Kilkenny in 1996/97. As a current sitting TD, John McGuinness is hoping to get re-elected in the upcoming general election. The Kilkenny man was appointed as Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment for Trade and Commerce from 2007 to 2009. He was also Chair of the Public Accounts Committee from 2011 to 2016 and has been Chair of the Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach Committee from 2016 until present day.

Jennifer Murnane O’Connor has been a TD for the Carlow-Kilkenny constituency since the 2020 general election. Before that, she spent over two decades as a local councillor in Co Carlow. The Carlow woman first ran for the Dail in 2011 but missed out on a seat. Although she did not run in the 2015 by-election, she was chosen to contest the 2016 general election as the Carlow-based candidate for Fianna Fáil in the Carlow-Kilkenny constituency, but was not elected. After her election to the Dáil in 2020, Jennifer was appointed the role of Spokesperson on Children and is also an Oireachtas Ambassador for Women.

Natasha Newsome Drennan contested the June local elections for Sinn Féin in the Piltown municipal district in Kilkenny but missed out on a seat. The Kilkenny woman currently lives in Mullinavat with her family. Natasha said from working in the disability sector, she is a strong advocate for proper funding for the sector along with reduced waiting times for assessments. Sinn Féin are hoping to retain their Carlow-Kilkenny Dáil seat that was recently vacated by Sinn Féin’s Kathleen Funchion as she took up her position as an MEP following June’s European elections. The party has held a seat in the constituency since Ms Funchion was elected to the Dáil in 2016.

Malcolm Noonan was elected to the Dáil for the first time in 2020. In his first year as TD for Carlow-Kilkenny, he was appointed the role of Minister of State with responsibility for Heritage and Electoral Reform. In 2023, this title was updated to Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform. Before becoming a TD, Malcolm was an elected member of Kilkenny County Council from 2004 to 2020 and a member of Kilkenny Borough Council from 2004 until 2014, when it was abolished. He served as mayor of Kilkenny from 2009 to 2010. In 2011, Malcolm contested the leadership of the Green Party after John Gormley stepped down as party leader.

Cllr Seán Ó hArgáin is hoping to win a seat for Labour in the Carlow-Kilkenny constituency. His name is not new to politics in Kilkenny having served as an elected councillor in Kilkenny city from 2004 to 2014. During that time he was elected as mayor of Kilkenny, serving from 2012 to 2013. Having retired from teaching after 34 years, 14 of them as a principal, Cllr Ó hÁrgáin has recently returned to politics as he was elected to Kilkenny County Council during June’s local elections. He has also been a lifelong trade union activist serving on the Irish National Teachers Organisation.

Far-right candidate Luke O’Connor ran in June’s local elections for the Irish Freedom Party but failed to get elected. This time around, the Kilkenny man will be running as an Independent candidate as he contests the general election in the Carlow-Kilkenny constituency. Luke describes himself as a prominent organiser of protests against IPAS centres in the constituency. He also has concerns with the SPHE curriculum taught in schools.

John O’Leary is from Kerry Pike in Cork and lists his occupation as a businessman. He is also known as Sean O’Leary and previously ran in several constituencies in the 2020 General Election and is now listed in several constituencies this time around as well, including Carlow-Kilkenny. He garnered headlines last time for canvassing from an hospital trolley and listed healthcare and homelessness among his key concerns.

Gary O’Neill is a former financial crime investigator who studied criminology. Mr O’Neill, 36, grew up in Ferrybank on the Kilkenny Waterford border, and now lives in Kilmacow. A self-described “horticulture enthusiast” Mr O’Neill has been involved in volunteer work for a youth justice program, working to reduce anti-social behaviour and to create safer communities. He says Aontú is the “only real opposition in the country” and pledges to prioritise the needs of both Kilkenny and Carlow equally. His top priorities are “community-first leadership, real accountability, and solutions that work.”

Patricia Stephenson is a Belfast-born, Castlecomer-based international aid worker. After six years in East Africa, Patricia has returned home to Ireland and settled on the Carlow-Kilkenny border where she is renovating a derelict cottage near her family. Through Patricia’s work as an EU diplomat, she says she has experience in “advocacy and bridge-building”. Patricia wants to prioritize public services, housing, healthcare, youth and community and climate policies that leave no one behind and provide a fair, green transition for farmers.

People Before Profit councillor, Adrienne Wallace is calling for an end to the “100-year rule” of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. The Carlow woman has served on Carlow County Council since 2019 and was re-elected in June’s local elections. She is known for her activism, particularly around housing and a campaign for a women’s refuge in Carlow. As a mother to a child with complex medical needs, Adrienne says she is fighting for improved healthcare services and services for people with disabilities. This will be Cllr Wallace’s second time running in a general election having first contested an election in 2020.

Noel G Walsh from Kilkenny City is a retired company director. Mr Walsh has contested numerous local and general elections as an Independent candidate, including the recent local election in Kilkenny, but has never been elected