Nine councillors, one district and a list of problems as long as the N59. Here is who really runs Connemara at County Hall – and the battles over housing, flooding and ambulances on their desks.
Connemara is covered by the Municipal District of Conamara, made up of two local electoral areas: Conamara North, with four seats, and Conamara South, with five. Between them, nine councillors speak for Connemara at Galway County Council.
Your nine Conamara councillors
According to Galway County Council, the current members of the Conamara Municipal District are:
- Pádraig Mac an Iomaire (Fine Gael) – Cathaoirleach of the district
- Michael Leainde (Independent Ireland) – Leas-Chathaoirleach
- Gerry King (Fianna Fáil)
- Máirtín Lee (Fianna Fáil)
- Eileen Mannion (Fine Gael)
- Tomás Ó Curraoin (Independent)
- Noel Thomas (Independent Ireland)
- Seamus Walsh (Independent Ireland)
- Thomas Welby (Independent)
That line-up shows how much Connemara politics changed at the 2024 local elections. Michael Fitzmaurice’s Independent Ireland, on its first outing, won three of the nine seats here. Noel Thomas, who left Fianna Fáil for Independent Ireland, topped the poll in Conamara South, and Seamus Walsh, who made the same move, came second in Conamara North, the Connacht Tribune reported.
Galway West’s new TD
At national level, Fine Gael’s Seán Kyne won the Galway West by-election in May 2026. The Moycullen man first cut his teeth in Connemara, being elected to Galway County Council for the Connemara local electoral area in 2004, according to his public record. Turnout in the by-election was 44%.
Issue one: Gaeltacht housing
Housing is the issue that comes up again and again. Earlier this year, councillors warned that housing shortages and infrastructure delays were threatening the survival of Gaeltacht communities, the Connacht Tribune reported. “We are being left behind from a housing point of view,” said Cllr Máirtín Lee, who said there were no plans for houses in South Conamara because of a lack of serviced sites and sewerage.
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Issue two: flooding in Clifden
Clifden still remembers the floods of September 2020. Last year, Conamara councillors urged the OPW to advance the Clifden Flood Relief Scheme “as a matter of urgency” after heavy rain from Storm Amy revived fears, the Connacht Tribune reported. Gerry King, then Cathaoirleach of the district, said the only practical solution among the options examined was linear defences along the Owenglin river. With Storm Boelo flooding the N59 and Inagh Valley just two weeks ago, the pressure is back on.
Issue three: ambulance cover
After an 11-year campaign by the Conamara Ambulance Crisis Group, work started on a new ambulance base at Recess last year. As we reported this week, it is set to open in January – but the Minister won’t commit to a date.
How to get your issue heard
Conamara Municipal District meetings are where local roads, housing, planning and amenity issues are thrashed out. You can find contact details for every councillor on the Galway County Council website. If something in your area needs fixing, your local councillor is the first call to make.
Which issue matters most in your part of Connemara? Tell us on our Facebook page.
Sources: Galway County Council, Connacht Tribune, 2026 Galway West by-election
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