Name game in Dublin Mid-West as two Eoin Ó’Broin’s to appear on ballot

Stop us if you’ve heard this one before – two candidates with the same name appear on the same ballot paper.

Sinn Féin TD Eoin Ó’Broin will compete against his namesake, who is appearing on the ballot for the Social Democrats.

The Social Democrats have selected their Ó’Broin to appear on the ballot in Dublin Mid-West at the upcoming general election following his election win in June.

Ó’Broin joined the Social Democrats in early 2022 after initially being elected as an independent in 2019, with O’Broin winning securing a 2nd term in Clondalkin.

Clondalkin was one of Sinn Fein’s great white hopes in the local elections with the party running four candidates, but only getting one candidate (William Carey) elected.

Indeed, Clondalkin was a microcosm of Sinn Féin’s problem at the polls in June – instead of getting four candidates elected in Clondalkin, the consistency returned People Before Profit, Independent Ireland and Social Democrats councillors at the expense of Sinn Fein.

At a Dáil level, Dublin Mid-West has two Sinn Fein TDs (Ó’Broin and Mark Ward), a Fine Gel TD (Minister Emer Higgins) and a People Before Profit TD (Gino Kenny).

The constituency will become a 5-seater at the next general election.

The Social Democrats contended the election in 2016 and the 2019 by-election with Anne-Marie McNally running for the party on that occasion but never cracking 5% of the vote.

There was no Social Democrats candidate on the ballot in 2020 in the constituency.

Speaking after his selection Ó Broin thanked the party for putting their trust in him and said he was looking forward to hitting the campaign trail.

“In my time as a councillor I have found the people of Clondalkin and surrounds very receptive to the concept of social democracy as a way of making life better for everyone in our community and to help everyone to reach their potential,” he said. “I look forward to continuing that conversation on the doorsteps in the weeks and months to come.”