Fianna Fรกil has selected Jim Gavin, formerโฃ Dublin Gaelic football manager, as its presidential candidate for the upcoming election. The โdecision follows a vote of the party’s โฃparliamentary โขparty โon Thursday, where Gavin defeated MEP billy Kelleher.
The selection of Gavin, widely known for leading Dublin to a record-breaking five All-Ireland โฃsenior Football Championship titles in aโ row (2015-2019),โข marksโ a departure for Fianna Fรกil, โขwhich had โคpreviously put forward experienced politicians forโ the role. This move is seen as an attempt to appeal to a broader electorate โadn present a candidateโ outside theโ traditional โpolitical sphere.MEP Billy Kelleher, arriving for the vote, had stated โขhe was “highlighting my credentials,โข how I feel the presidencyโ should go inโ terms of the values our party โฃpromotes across the country, the type of campaign we would be running.”โ He alsoโ emphasized the โimportance of the presidency’s “soft โคpowerโฆin terms of speaking forโ citizens, advocating for โฃcitizens โคand those on the margins.”
Prior โto the vote, the atmosphere within the Fianna Fรกil โparliamentary party โwas describedโค as tense, withโ some TDs suggesting the outcome could have implications for party leader Micheรกl Martin and future leadership contests. โฃOthers downplayed the meaningโข of the vote, dismissing โฃtalk of a major divide within the party.
Gavin has a distinguished career outside of politics, serving as a career officer in the defence Forces and holding a phd inโ sports management.โฃ He has also chaired a Citizens’ Assembly examining the case for a directly โขelected โmayorโ for Dublin and, since 2023, has led a taskforce focused on improvingโฃ services and quality of life in โขDublin’s northeast inner city.