Young Castleplunkett woman selected to fill vacant Fine Gael seat on Roscommon County Council
Castleplunkett's Ruth Connolly-Conboy who was selected this evening to fill the seat on Roscommon County Council for Fine Gael left vacant following the appointment of Gareth Scahill to the Senate. Pic: Liam Reynolds
A young Castleplunkett woman has this evening been selected to fill the vacant Fine Gael seat for Roscommon Municipal District on Roscommon County Council.
Ruth Connolly-Conboy has pledged to "build relationships" with all representatives and to work as hard as she can for the Roscommon Municipal District and for the county.
Ms Connolly-Conboy a "fresh face" for the MD said that she would be meeting with as many people as possible to get different perspectives and increase engagement.
The selection convention was held in Tully’s Hotel, Castlerea this evening where former councillor Michael McGreal, from Ballinlough, Castleplunkett's Ruth Connolly-Conboy, Ballintubber's Maria McCahill and Roscommon Town's Robbie McConn all put their names before the delegates.
A graduate of DCU, Ruth studied International Relations, Law and Government and following her graduation took up a position with Real Nation, a behavioural change agency.
She became the chief strategy officer for Real Nation in 2021. An increased opportunity to work remotely allowed her to move back to County Roscommon with her husband, Damien Conboy who runs a sheep farm at Carán, Castleplunkett
She comes from a family with deep ties to the party. Fellow Castleplunkett native and Fine Gael councillor Liam Callaghan described her late grandmother, Bebe, as a "stalwart" of the party in the 1970’s and 80’s in his proposal speech.
Her parents are well known in the community, with her father Martin a farmer and a retired contractor, and her mother Geraldine a former principal of St. Michael’s National School, Castlerea.
Ruth is now set to fill the seat left vacant by the Gareth Scahill after he was appointed to the Senate two months ago.
Speaking this evening Senator Scahill said that Ms Connolly-Conboy was "an excellent candidate". He added that her selection was very reflective of the electorate at the moment with the party now having two new female candidates on Roscommon County Council, "very strong able women who are very active in their communities".
Senator Scahill spoke of a "new energy" in Fine Gael and added that it was "a very exciting time" to be involved in Fine Gael.
* Watch as the announcement was made this evening in Tully's Hotel, Castlerea by MEP Maria Walsh.
