Wicklow Sinn Féin TD John Brady has offered his warm congratulation to three Sinn Féin candidates who have been selected by the party membership to contest the 2024 local elections as the Sinn Féin candidates for Bray.
The three candidates are sitting Cllr Dermot ‘Daisy’ O’Brien, Cllr. Mick Ryan, who was recently co-opted in place of outgoing Cllr. Grace McManus, and community stalwart Denise Cahill.
He described the three candidates as an excellent example of three hard working community activists taking that extra step to attempt to maximise the potential of their service to their community by seeking election to Wicklow County Council.
Brady said:
“I am absolutely delighted to be in the position to offer my congratulations to Denise, Mick, and Dermot following their selection at the recent convention in Bray to represent Sinn Féin in the next local elections.
Denise has lived and worked in Bray her whole life where she currently works in Family Support and Community Development, which gives her a unique perspective on the challenges our communities face.
Cllr. Mick Ryan is another Bray native, reared on the Old Soldiers Road, he now lives in Herbert Park. He has long been a part of the sporting fabric of the town, where he is also well known for his pursuit of equality and fairness as a trade union activist.
Cllr. Dermot ‘Daisy’ O’Brien, who was elected as Bray person of the year in 2016, is well known throughout Bray. He has served on the Council since his co-option to replace outgoing Cllr Michael O’Connor and his election in 2019. Where his record stands for itself. A long-time community activist of over 25 years’ experience, Dermot continues to work in the youth sector in addition to his service on the Council.
Brady continued:
“Taken individually each of the three candidates has a stellar record in their community, and their personal qualities are very apparent. But it is as a team that will fight for Bray, Enniskerry and Kilmac and it is as a team that their strength and formidable nature has the greatest potential to impact on local politics, not just in Bray Municipal District, but across Wicklow.
They will be going forward as part of the largest and strongest team of Sinn Féin candidates that the party has ever put forward here in Wicklow.
People in Wicklow are demanding change, and this team of Sinn Féin candidates are the people who have the potential to deliver on that.
The local elections, which will take place on the same day as the EU elections, represent the first opportunity that the electorate in Bray has had since the general election of 2020, to send a clear and unambiguous message to the government.
A message that lets them know that the people of this county have had enough of the failure to address the housing crisis, the cost-of-living crisis, and the neglect of our health service.
Denise, Mick, and Dermot will be at the forefront of that campaign to bring about change.
Denise Cahill said:
“It is an absolute privilege and honour to be selected by my party colleagues to go forward to contest the local elections on behalf of Sinn Féin here in Bray.
Along with Mick and Dermot, I will give everything to ensure that the people of Bray have the representation they deserve.
I have lived and worked in Bray my entire adult life. I currently work in Family Support and Community Development, and I believe this gives me a unique perspective on the challenges our communities face.
Through both my employment and volunteering, I have been part of many community initiatives to improve the area we live in.
My goal is to give Bray the local representation it both needs and deserves, and to ensure that all residents have a voice in decision-making that will affect them.
I want to see a transparent local authority which is future-proofed for the next generation, ensuring continuous progress and the implementation of new ideas. In my community development roles, I’ve embraced the motto ‘nothing about us, without us.’ I’m committed to bringing this principle to Wicklow County Council to ensure decisions prioritise Bray resident’s needs and desires.
I will be campaigning for more Community Projects and activities for young people; the development of education facilities; social and affordable housing; a full-time homeless service in the Bray area; and improvements to communities suffering from deprivation and disadvantage through consultation with residents.”
Mick Ryan said:
“I want to echo Denise’s comments and say how proud I am to be selected as part of our team here in the town of Bray to contest the local elections this coming June.
Myself, Denise and Cllr Dermot O’Brien are looking forward to contesting in Bray. Where we are already on the doors engaging with the electorate about the issues that matter to them.
As someone who is dyed in the wool Bray man, I am passionate about the needs of the town and its people. My life has been driven by a passion for equality, fairness, and social justice. Having previously served as the President of the Bray Trades Council, and as a shop steward in my workplace, I have used these roles to advocate for better pay and working conditions, promoting grassroots activism, and helping to provide leadership and training to empower others.
I have been involved in the sporting life of the town at youth level for many years, managing schoolboy soccer teams for Wolfe Tone and St Fergal’s, being a member of Bray Emmets, and serving as a selector for the Juvenile, minor and Junior teams.
Recently co-opted onto Wicklow County Council, I am eager to utilise my experience and skills in public representation, policy analysis, and negotiation to tackle the local issues that impact the daily lives of residents. I am prepared to confront challenges head-on and amplify your voice to foster thriving communities.
I will be campaigning for more social and affordable housing to buy or rent; better access to GP, Dental and health services; improved reliability, efficiency, and quality of public transport; improved sports and recreational facilities; and better access to mental health and disability services.”
Cllr. Dermot ‘Daisy’ O’Brien said:
“It was my honour and privilege to be elected to represent the people of Bray on Wicklow County Council in 2019. Since which I and firstly Cllr Grace McManus, and then Cllr Mick Ryan have battled to ensure the voice and needs of the people of the town were heard.
I entered politics to serve my community. As a community activist who has spent over 25 years working and volunteering in Bray, I saw that it was on the Council where I could make the greatest difference.
I want to see my community prosper. To be a place where young and old alike can be optimistic about their futures. I am determined to continue the fight to bring about real and positive change in our local community through action not just words.
I have worked in and been involved in homework clubs, summer projects, youth groups, football clubs, parent’s programmes, school-based work and numerous committees and working groups over the years. I was also a founder coordinator of Celtic Youth Bray (CYB).
Denise, Mick, and I are committed to working tirelessly for the people of Bray, Enniskerry and Kilmac. To ensure that the area sees the development of the infrastructure that it badly needs. We want to see the development of social and affordable housing that will allow people to be able to afford to live and work in Bray.”