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John O'Donoghue PA Archive/Press Association Images

Shock in Kerry as John O'Donoghue tells family he won't run for Fianna Fáil

The former Ceann Comhairle has told family he won’t be seeking to run in the next general election

Updated 2.20pm 

FORMER CEANN COMHAIRLE John O’Donoghue has told family he will not be contesting the Fianna Fáil selection convention in Kerry and will not stand in the next general election.

O’Donoghue’s cousin, Dingle-based councillor Michael O’Shea, confirmed that O’Donoghue told him himself that he will not be throwing his hat into the ring for the Fianna Fáil selection convention in the county later this month.

Known as ‘The Bull’, O’Donoghue resigned as Ceann Comhairle in 2009 following an expenses controversy. He subsequently lost his Dáil seat in 2011 in the very sports centre he had helped secure for his constituency.

O’Shea, who will be seeking the nomination, told TheJournal.ie this afternoon: ”We’re all kind of shocked ourselves. We thought he would be standing.

He kept his cards very close to his own chest up until the shock announcement that he wasn’t going to be in the field.

O’Donoghue, who has been practising as a barrister since leaving politics, did not immediately respond to texts and calls this afternoon.

Senator Mark Daly, who will be seeking the nomination, said that O’Donoghue was nominated to run by his local cumann but told headquarters he would not be accepting.

Kerry mayor John Brassil, who is also seeking the nomination, said that the decision came as “no surprise” as O’Donoghue had been “inactive politically for four years”.

If he was seriously considering it he would have to have been campaigning for convention for [the] past three months like the rest of us.

Two candidates for a five-seater

O’Shea said that he spoke briefly to his cousin yesterday.

He explained: “He rang me to say he wasn’t standing. He said he didn’t want to accept the nomination from anybody on this occasion and wishes the best of luck to candidates running.”

With Kerry going from two three-seaters to one five-seater at the next election, Fianna Fáil is expected to run two candidates.

O’Shea, Daly, Brassil, who is from the Listowel area, and Killarney area councillor Niall Kelleher are also expected to contest the selection convention on 29 March. Former TD Tom McEllistrim has also thrown his hat into the ring.

The party’s 1,600 odd members in Kerry will pick one candidate and a second will be added to the ticket, it’s believed.

O’Shea said that the imbalance between memberships in the north and south of the county meant it would “extremely difficult” for a candidate in south Kerry to get selected as Fianna Fáil has 400 members there compared to 1,200 in the north of the county.

He also stressed that O’Donoghue told him he wasn’t putting his name forward “on this occasion” indicating that the former minister is not retiring from politics altogether.

Previously: The former Fianna Fáil and Green ministers who are (or could be) making a comeback

WATCH: “You won’t say quiet to me, sir”: Check out this 2007 clip of Enda clashing with a furious Ceann Comhairle

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52 Comments
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    Mute Cupid Stunt
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    Mar 18th 2015, 1:23 PM

    This is the man who used us the taxpayers as a source of income for extravagant lifestyle choices. Didn’t he even put in a claim for a pound that he gave for a charitable donation.This guy symbolises why Ireland got into such trouble with debt.good riddance to him, it’s just a pity that we haven’t the balls to indite him for negligence.

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    Mute Stephen Doyle
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    Mar 18th 2015, 2:28 PM

    And his people would still vote him back in which is the scary part

    244
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    Mute I Pee Freely
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    Mar 18th 2015, 1:16 PM

    Maybe the penny dropped that his current pension is probably more than he would make as a backbench TD.

    486
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    Mute Pepper Brooks
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    Mar 18th 2015, 3:36 PM

    Remember his €990 a night hotel stay at the Cannes film festival with his wife, on the back of the Irish taxpayer? Or maybe his €472 limo ride from terminal 1 to terminal 3 at heathrow airport, despite there being a free shuttle bus available? Or his trips to the Melbourne cup and Cheltenham and aintree, costing thousands? An endless list from an absolute PARASITE.

    356
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    Mute johngahan
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    Mar 18th 2015, 6:34 PM

    But Fianna Fail were worth it in those days. There was a one-minded religious adoration of the leadership. Charlie Haughey, Bertie, Gerry – they were a dying breed in having mindless worshippers as supporters. It probably won’t happen again in Ireland where we have developed a healthy skepticism of political animals seeking an eternal constituency.

    Probably a good thing …

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    Mute ciaran
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    Mar 18th 2015, 8:30 PM

    one minded religious adoration john? eternal constituency? couldn’t happen again john could it?

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    Mute John Scott
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    Mar 19th 2015, 9:13 AM

    martin as well

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    Mute Dave barrett
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    Mar 18th 2015, 1:15 PM

    That’s great. Another dinosaur gone.

    425
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    Mute An Ciarraioch
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    Mar 18th 2015, 5:59 PM

    He wouldn’t have gotten elected anyhow .
    Hugh , you have totally omitted a very likely Candidate – Councillor Norma Foley , who is almost guaranteed the Nomination from HQ on the gender quota rule alone ?
    The infighting amongst the various ‘camps’ of FF in Kerry presently is palpable !

    43
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    Mute johngahan
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    Mar 18th 2015, 6:37 PM

    Surely Sinn Fein have some character from The Adams Family on the ballot?

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    Mute An Ciarraioch
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    Mar 18th 2015, 7:14 PM

    Johngahan – I’m aware that you suffer from The Gerryphobia virus – but this actually an article about FIANNA FÁIL ?
    Take your Meds John !!!

    33
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    Mute Deco James Connolly
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    Mar 18th 2015, 1:31 PM

    The ego on the pri.k , was he hoping people would forget his penchant for limo trips between airport terminals .

    265
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    Mute Tony Le Blanc
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    Mar 18th 2015, 2:07 PM

    I love the language of white collar/political crime. ‘Expenses controversy’ ? would that not be fraud or theft in the real world

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    Mute Bill Rooney
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    Mar 18th 2015, 1:21 PM

    But did he ever really explain why he did all that flying around on the private jet?!

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    Mute Anthony Lang
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    Mar 18th 2015, 3:57 PM

    He lived high and on the hog and enjoyed every minute of it.

    85
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    Mute martin.
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    Mar 19th 2015, 12:57 AM

    Business for the state,
    It just so happened that all these places he went to by sheer coincidence there happened to be race meetings there,
    And of course one couldn’t arrive of the plane looking like an oul tramp from Ireland so a limo was waiting,
    And the driver tipped with taxpayers money.

    15
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    Mute Ken Donegan
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    Mar 18th 2015, 1:17 PM

    He would be considered as the old guard so its probably a good decision as there is a good change he wouldn’t get elected .

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    Mute Paul Dunne
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    Mar 18th 2015, 4:46 PM

    is the leader of ff not old guard?

    55
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    Mute Patrick O'Brien
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    Mar 18th 2015, 1:31 PM

    He was but a pimple on the arse that is Irish politics.

    190
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    Mute Damo Tubbs
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    Mar 18th 2015, 1:35 PM

    Good riddance

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    Mute Alan Kennedy
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    Mar 18th 2015, 1:24 PM

    Good.

    163
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    Mute Janet Coyle
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    Mar 18th 2015, 2:16 PM

    Bye Bye won’t be missed

    150
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    Mute j4VEpUO8
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    Mar 18th 2015, 1:38 PM

    About time!. Who’s next!!!

    141
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    Mute Al Ca
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    Mar 18th 2015, 2:07 PM

    Good riddance to bad rubbish.

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    Mute Denis Reidy
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    Mar 18th 2015, 1:18 PM

    With Kerry going from two to five seats, it probably wont be as lucrative as in days of old.

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    Mute Brendan Hughes
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    Mar 18th 2015, 1:45 PM

    Denis … keey is going from 6 to 5 seats not 2 to 5 seats. It was previously 2 constituencies each having 3 seats. It will now be just the one with 5 seats.

    69
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    Mute Denis Reidy
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    Mar 18th 2015, 1:50 PM

    Correct, thanks. Second part of comment still stands

    49
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    Mute Gifted one
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    Mar 18th 2015, 3:10 PM

    Finally he must have realised that the gravy train has run out of gravy. Thanks to mr o Donoghue and his kind. They have bled us dry. At least he had the sense not to run. As the abuse he would have received would be hard for his family to watch . Wouldn’t bother him he has a neck like a you know what..

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    Mute An Observer
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    Mar 18th 2015, 1:46 PM

    I’m out on the road at the moment directing traffic so cars can park up outside the community centre. I’m hearing other towns are having their emergency protocol meetings at the exact same time to discuss this shocking developments. We re hoping to have a live link-up with each other. This situation needs to be sorted immediately. We re all in total SHOCK.

    88
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    Mute Paul Mc
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    Mar 18th 2015, 3:31 PM

    The greedy bugger probably worked it out that if he was elected he might have to pay some tax on his pensions.
    Now we couldn’t have a politician paying too much tax.

    56
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    Mute Noreen Lunney
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    Mar 18th 2015, 6:02 PM

    the new york times has picked up the story so the shock has spread world wide by now, putin has also received a sedative it got too much for him. god bless us all whats the world coming to.

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    Mute Angry Squirrel
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    Mar 18th 2015, 1:54 PM

    Can only be a good thing.

    87
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    Mute Dave O'Shea
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    Mar 18th 2015, 3:46 PM

    He knows he squeezed as much as possible out of the system as possible…. nothing left at the trough for this pig.

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    Mute Ally O'Rourke
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    Mar 18th 2015, 3:24 PM

    Perhaps there is too much still not in public view he would fear being uncovered if he did run.

    48
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    Mute Anthony Lang
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    Mar 18th 2015, 3:55 PM

    The Bull is now a bullock.

    40
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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Mar 18th 2015, 6:35 PM

    One less self-important dodgy windbag then….

    27
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    Mute Alan Cooke
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    Mar 18th 2015, 1:27 PM

    He’s running for sinn fein instead rumor has it!

    26
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    Mute winding_down
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    Mar 18th 2015, 1:43 PM

    As a former Justice Minister representing the State during NI negotiations, I find that exceptionally hard to believe.

    41
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    Mute Alan Cooke
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    Mar 18th 2015, 1:45 PM

    Terrible shame. Another decent politician forced to go by the anti austerity supporters around the country. He will be sorely missed by fianna fail in Leinster house.

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    Mute Ally O'Rourke
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    Mar 18th 2015, 3:27 PM

    Alan, he looks like he’s taking a sh*t in that photo, and that is just his at rest face, I doubt he’d be much use at anything except a p*ss up, his highly blood pressured appearance gives his drinking habits away, I doubt it’s from worry, you know.

    57
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    Mute An Ciarraioch
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    Mar 18th 2015, 6:07 PM

    Why Alan , are you going to nominate him ?
    I can assure you that SF wouldn’t have him – or his kind .
    He is nearer to being a Blueshirt FG Rightwinger – your type of Politician !

    23
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    Mute johngahan
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    Mar 18th 2015, 8:39 PM

    SF has stopped taking Fianna Fail drop outs?

    5
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    Mute Mark O'Hagan
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    Mar 18th 2015, 6:10 PM

    Losing a Dáil seat once might be unfortunate (only for him) but losing it twice might be more than his fragile ego might be able to bear.

    25
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    Mute John Quill
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    Mar 18th 2015, 9:26 PM

    I remember when he threw the dummy out of the pram when he was Ceann Comhairle. It was soo entertaining to see the little red face on the pig in full wah.

    21
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    Mute Paul Dunne
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    Mar 18th 2015, 4:45 PM

    sure as jasis he couldn’t have that hard of a neck.

    21
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    Mute martin.
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    Mar 19th 2015, 12:48 AM

    Great news he should have retired long ago,
    He has bled this country for enough,
    And tipping with taxpayers money,
    Now he’s out of politics I wonder is he so generous with his own pocket for tipping.

    13
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    Mute Alan Cooke
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    Mar 18th 2015, 8:53 PM

    Oh is that so? What about Chris Andrews? He’s definitely “that kind” of blue shirt/right winger and in your party!
    Engage brain before leaving comment.
    Oh sorry I forgot you cant your a shinner.

    6
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    Mute An Ciarraioch
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    Mar 18th 2015, 9:07 PM

    Alan – As a Kerry person, I was commenting on a story about a Kerry Politician – one John O’Donoghue !

    What other individuals in Ireland do, is for another day and another article !

    13
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    Mute martin.
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    Mar 19th 2015, 1:17 AM

    Remember his €990 a night hotel stay at the Cannes film festival with his wife, on the back of the Irish taxpayer? Or maybe his €472 limo ride from terminal 1 to terminal 3 at heathrow airport, despite there being a free shuttle bus available? Or his trips to the Melbourne cup and Cheltenham and aintree, costing thousands? An endless list from an absolute waster.

    5
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    Mute Pauline Oconnor
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    Mar 18th 2015, 9:38 PM

    A,leave poor John.alone,u don’t know what’s to come along yet,

    1
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