CITY East councillor Ursula Gavan resigned from Sinn Féin this week and told the Limerick Post that her decision comes on the back of the party not selecting her husband, sitting Sinn Féin Senator Paul Gavan, for the Seanad elections.
Cllr Gavan said she gave the decision careful reflection over the Christmas period, but reluctantly decided she could no longer remain a member of Sinn Féin due to “family loyalty”.
Married to Senator Paul Gavan for over 20 years, the working mother of three young adults, all living at home with them in Castleconnell, said she will now continue her Council work as an Independent Republican Socialist in City East.
“I’m not a seven-year-old, so this wasn’t a case of throwing my toys out of the pram going ‘boohoo’. I’m married to Paul, but I have also worked with him for over 20 years and have enjoyed working with him. I was hugely disappointed at Sinn Féin’s decision not to to run him in the Seanad elections,” Cllr Gavan explained.
The first-time councillor is a graduate of the University of Limerick and works at the UL campus as an administrator. She told the Limerick Post after her election last summer that she believed it is time that Sinn Féin got back to its traditional socialist and republican values.
After her departure from Mary Lou McDonald’s ranks this week, Sinn Féin now has two remaining councillor in Limerick with Sharon Benson in City North and PJ Carey in Cappamore-Kilmallock.
Sinn Féin TD Maurice Quinlivan deemed Ursula’s decision to resign from the party as very disappointing and a loss to the team in Limerick City.
“During her time both as an activist and a councillor, she became a very valued and hard working member. I wish Ursula the very best for the future. While I regret this outcome, I remain very good friends with both Ursula and her husband Paul and look forward to seeing them both again soon,” Deputy Quinlivan said.
Senator Paul Gavan, a champion of workers rights and social justice during his time in office, recently said that he believes there wasn’t anything to be gained by actively contesting a seat in the Seanad election, which comes to a close next week.
The Sinn Féin senator revealed that he decided over the Christmas period to not actively contest the Seanad election for a seat on the Labour panel.
“I believe I have established a good track record of work and delivery over the past nine years both here at home and through my work at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE),” Senator Gavan said.
“However, having taken time over Christmas to consider matters, I do not believe there is anything to be gained by actively contesting for a seat on the Labour panel. The party has nominated and endorsed two other candidates for this panel.”
When asked about her husband’s future in Sinn Féin, Cllr Gavan said: “Ultimately, Paul has his own decision to make. He’s his own person. I had to be true to myself and, for my family, felt I had to lead by example. It was my decision at the end of the day.”
