Longford #LE24: Nolan commits to five more years

Longford Municipal District Elections threw up an interesting footnote as four councillors passed the post on the first count.

With a total poll of 6,920, once the 95 invalid ballot papers were removed from the mix the Total Valid Poll was 6,825.

With seven seats to fill the 18 candidates knew they have to 854 votes. The first count saw four candidates exceed the quota and two Fianna Fáil and two Fine Gael councillor were elected.

Among them was Peggy Nolan (FG). Peggy is one of the elder states persons of the council and is a councillor for Longford Municipal District since 2004.

The emotion of her 2024 election was apparent when she spoke to the Longford Leader after her election: “It didn't surprise me. I worked. I worked too hard,” she said.
“I'm not taking the people of Longford for granted. My heart and soul is in what I do. I'm extremely emotional. It's like family occasions. This, for me, is a huge occasion,” the newly elected councillor said.

After a rigorous campaign Cllr Nolan thanked all who supported her: “To think that the people you were raised with all your life, your school friends, your family, neighbours, people you meet in the street every day. I worked in retail all my life. And that they're saying, we want you back again, we like what you're doing.

“All I can say is, I am the most privileged woman in this town centre this evening. Because I'm of an age where people could have said, she doesn't have the energy, we don't want her. I have the energy and thank God they want me,” she said.

She gave a commitment to the 890 voters who gave her their number 1: “I will not squander one number vote and one vote that I got. I will work my socks off for the betterment of the people. I have a photograph taken there with four grandchildren.
“I have nine grandchildren. It's not for my generation I'm working now. I'm working for their generation. They need the best. Longford is the best place to live and we can provide the best for those kids. And that's what I'm going to try and do for the next five years.”