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Pictured recently in Fermoy during a stop-off by Senator Deirdre Clune, front l-r: Margaret Barry, Senator Clune, Phil Leahy (Fine Gael candidate in the local Cork County Council elections) and William Lonergan. Back: Margaret Barnes, Mary Coakley, Connnie O’Driscoll, Peter Lombard and Tommy Baker. Photo: Ned Duggan

There's a strong Cork contingent in the field of candidates for Ireland South in the European elections in May. Four of the nine candidates are from Cork; sitting MEP Brian Crowley (FF) and newcomers Deirdre Clune (FG), Liadh Ní Riada (SF) and Diarmuid O'Flynn (Independent).

With a redrawn boundary encompassing 10 counties in Munster and Leinster, Ireland South has four seats this time round, an increase of one. Nine candidates have now declared. Fine Gael is fielding three, with Senator Deirdre Clune, who lost her seat in the 2011 General Election, joining sitting MEP Sean Kelly on the ticket, alongside the Wicklow based TD, Siimon Harris.

Fianna Fail has added party activist Kieran Hartley from Waterford to their ticket with sitting MEP Brian Crowley who, in the last four European elections, has taken the first seat. Hartley's profile as a vociferous anti-pylon campaigner has been strong in recent months.

Labour's sitting MEP Phil Prendergast was confirmed as the party's candidate at their convention in Cork recently, Glanmire-based Senator John Gilroy having decided some weeks ago not to proceed in seeking a nomination. 

First time Sinn Fein candidate, Liadh Ní Riada has a background in media, working as a producer and director with RTE and TG4. She was a member of the board which set up TG4. She is daughter of the composer and musician, Seán O Riada.

Grace O'Sullivan is another first timer. The Waterford-based environmentalist is a former national surf champion.

Diarmuid O'Flynn is also making a first foray into politics. Few are surprised that the man behind the 'Ballyhea Says No' anti-bailout campaign group is running for Europe. He concedes that he's up against strong competition, but insists he's not running as a symbolic gesture, but to win.

Given Brian Crowley's record, it's hard to see him not being returned. It'd take a major upset to unseat Sean Kelly too. Phil Prendergast is the most vulnerable of the three sitting MEPs, with Labour down in the polls and being blamed for all the Government's ills. She's also less well 'bedded in' in Europe than the other two, having been apppointed in 2011 to replace MEP Alan Kelly, who won a seat in the General Election.

Fine Gael's decision to run three candidates has been criticised by some in the party who believe it will split the vote. Simon Harris would be a strong contender for a second seat for them and has geographical advantage. The Dail's youngest member - he's only 27 - has built up a considerable media profile from his tough questioning and outspoken comments as a member of the Public Accounts Committee.

With Sinn Fein expected to make strides in the European and local elections and a strong candidate in Ní Riada, she's another serious contender, while Diarmuid O'Flynn could be the dark horse in the race.

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