An emotional Donal Kelly Snr says his son’s imminent success in the Letterkenny LEA means the world to the family.
Donal ‘Mandy’ Kelly is out in front in Letterkenny and is due to be elected shortly this afternoon.
Donal Snr first took the Fianna Fáil seat after the tragic passing of Manus Kelly in the Donegal rally five years ago. A year on, Donal Snr stood down, seeing a similar drive in Donal than in Manus.
“I was depriving him (Donal) of holding the seat, he is a young man, eager, I know the drive in him,” Donal Snr tells Donegal Daily.
“He worked hard over three and a half years, I was able to start him off on the right foot and he has come on in leaps and bounds.”
Donal Snr was his son’s Director of Elections in a mammoth seven week campaign.
“We ran a great campaign, we had great reports at the door, people were eager, he was working hard and they wanted him there,” he said.
Now, with a first count victory in sight, an emotional Donal Snr says it means a lot to the entire family.
“When you do the business it’s nice to be rewarded,” he said. “And he’s enjoying it, that’s half the battle.”
Donal Kelly Snr and Jacquline Kelly