Blow for FF as O’Rourke considers rural ticket

FIANNA FÁIL’S chances of retaining two seats in Cork South-West at the next General Election were dealt a further blow last night, when one of their prospective candidates confirmed he was seriously considering an offer to represent the Rural Alliance Party (RAP) — which has promised him a substantial war chest.

Just weeks after Councillor Donal O’Rourke said he wouldn’t be seeking a FF nomination, it emerged that Cllr Christy O’Sullivan was giving serious consideration to the RAP offer.

Fianna Fáil has been trying to woo back Mr O’Sullivan, a Clonakilty-based independent who left the party in 1998.