Fianna Fáil pins by-election hopes on McGuinness

Fianna Fáil is hopeful of winning a seat in the Dublin West by-election after 27-year-old teacher and local councillor David McGuinness was chosen as its candidate.

He saw off competition from Anita Lenihan — sister of the late Brian Lenihan — who was hoping to win back the seat for the family. Ms Lenihan is active in the Fianna Fáil organisation in Dublin West and was approached to run in 2011 after Brian’s death, but “didn’t feel the time was right”.

Mr McGuinness was the preferred candidate of the party leadership after he came second in the 2011 by-election in the constituency, with 7,742 first-preference votes.