'Mood for change is palpable' in Donegal

Gráinne Mhic Géidigh, Pádraig Mac Lochlainn, Martin McGuinness, Pearse Doherty and Pat Doherty

Around five hundred Republicans from across the North West gathered at Jackson's Hotel in Ballybofey on Sunday last to jointly launch Donegal Sinn  Féin's election campaign for Cllr Pádraig Mac Lochlainn in Donegal North  East and Cllr Pearse Doherty in Donegal South West.
Sinn Féin Chief Negotiator and Deputy First Minister designate in the Six  Counties, Martin McGuinness, MP, MLA, officially launched the campaign and  delivered the keynote address. The event was chaired by Gráinne Mhic Géidigh, and also addressed by West Tyrone MP Pat Doherty, and by Cllr Mac Lochlainn and Cllr Doherty.
Speaking after the campaign launch, Cllr Doherty said:
"Donegal Sinn Féin is fighting probably its most important election campaign  in the history of this state. There is now a realistic possibility that Sinn Féin could elect two TDs – one in each Donegal constituency – to join the all-Ireland panel of TDs,  MPs, MLAs and Councillors we have elected throughout the North West region.
"While that prospect rightly upsets the conservative forces responsible for  Donegal's neglect in the past, Sinn Féin is, by contrast, more interested in fighting for Donegal's future.
"Sunday's campaign launch was supported by hundreds of party members,  officials and representatives from throughout the North West region of  Ireland. Their presence once again highlighted the all-Ireland character of  Sinn Féin, whether the issue is transport, health or Irish unity – to name  but a few," Cllr Doherty said.
Speaking after the campaign launch, Cllr Pádraig Mac Lochlainn said:
"We believe that we have now strongly positioned ourselves as a party that can deliver for Donegal at national level.The growth of Sinn Féin in Donegal over the last of number of years has been phenomenal.
"Sinn Féin is confident of changing the face of Donegal politics forever with the election of Pearse Doherty in Donegal South West and myself in Donegal North East. Over the next number of weeks, we will further engage with the people of  Donegal with a powerful agenda for change. Already our activists have delivered tens of thousands of Sinn Féin newspapers and have canvassed thousands of voters. The mood for change and the mood in support of Sinn Féin is palpable," Cllr Mac Lochlainn said.