AS WAS THE case five years ago, three members of the Healy-Rae family have been elected to Kerry County Council. 

Jackie Healy-Rae was elected in Castleisland, his cousin Maura Healy-Rae was elected in Killarney and her brother Johnny Healy-Rae was elected in Kenmare. 

To give an outline of the family tree, Jackie is the son of sitting Michael Healy-Rae TD and Maura and Johnny are the offspring of Danny Healy-Rae TD. 

The three councillors are of course all grandchildren of the late Dáil deputy Jackie Healy-Rae. 

The storied political dynasty have famously never lost an election and continued that streak in these latest votes, making it 26 out of 26 according to Jackie’s count. 

26 election’s contested since 1973, 26 wins.

People can say what they like about us, but I’m proud to be a Healy-Rae and the people of Kerry have re-affirmed their support of our work this weekend. pic.twitter.com/GTSdbYRak0

— Jackie Healy-Rae (@Jackie_HealyRae) June 9, 2024

They are however far from the only political families and this latest election has only served to underscore Ireland’s love of a political dynasty. 

Cathal Haughey, grandson of former Taoiseach Charles Haughey has been elected to Fingal county Council in Howth-Malahide area. 

There are too many other examples to list in one article but a couple do stand out. 

As pointed out by RTÉ’s Barry Lenihan, no fewer than ten current Fianna Fáil TDs have seen siblings elected to local government, with the party’s MEP Billy Kelleher also seeing his sister elected. 

Among them was Seamus McGrath, the brother of Finance Minister Michael McGrath who won with a massive 5,000 first preference votes in Cork.

In Tipperary, the son of TD Michael Lowry Michaél Lowry was re-elected to the Thurles LEA while Fine Gael are hoping that father and son duo of Baby and Britto Pereppadan will both be elected in separate Tallaght LEAs in South Dublin County Council.