Sinn Fein's local election candidate in Ennis has resigned from the party after it emerged that he had made an offensive comment about travellers on Facebook.
The offensive comment in question was posted on Facebook in October 2011, on the day of a mass eviction at the UK's largest traveller site at Dale Farm in Essex.
It then re-surfaced on social media this week, and in a statement to Clare FM Cathal O'Reilly has acknowledged that the comment is his.
The Ennis butcher, who is a cousin of Sinn Fein's Ireland South MEP candidate Liadh Ní Riada, says he's deeply ashamed, and insists that he no longer holds those views.
He also accepts that they have caused embarrassment to him, his family and to Sinn Fein.
As a result, he's offered his resignation to the party, and a local Sinn Féin source confirmed that this was accepted yesterday afternoon.
Cathal O'Reilly says he now wants to move on with his life as a private citizen and is no longer seeking support from Ennis voters.
However, as his decision comes just before tomorrow's election, his name will remain on the ballot paper which will also say that he is running for Sinn Féin.
