Martin gets rapturous welcome at convention

FIANNA FÁIL leader Micheal Martin got a rapturous welcome in Sligo last night when he arrived for the Sligo-North Leitrim constituency convention where two candidates — sitting TD Eamon Scanlon and Senator Marc MacSharry — were ratified to contest the election.

The organisers appeared to be taken aback by the large attendance — an estimated 500 people turned out for a convention where 300 delegates were eligible to vote.

The mood was upbeat as the new leader accused the opposition parties of assuming their right to power and as he promised to meet them “head on” in the election campaign.