Fine Gael has selected the son of the late TD Theresa Ahearn to run in the Tipperary constituency in the next general election.

Garret Ahearn defeated six other candidates in the early hours of yesterday morning with just six votes separating him from nearest rival Mary Newman, a sister of sitting TD for Dublin Bay South Kate O'Connell.

Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil has chosen sitting TDs to run in the Waterford and Tipperary constituencies at the next election - Jackie Cahill to run in Tipperary and Mary Butler in Waterford.

The Tipperary Fine Gael convention took place at the Premier Hall in Thurles on Saturday night but didn't finish until after 2am following a full recount of all votes.

The contest came down to a battle between two first-time nominees, Mr Ahearn and Ms Newman. Ms Newman, a vet, is originally from Westmeath and her father Michael Newman was a Fine Gael county councillor.

Mr Ahearn is the son of former county councillor Liam Ahearn and Ms Ahearn, who was a Fine Gael TD for Tipperary South from 1989 until her death in 2000.

It is believed party headquarters will add a candidate to the ticket, possibly from the north of the county.

Irish Independent