Sinn Féin has selected the party's chairperson in Galway West to contest the forthcoming by-election there.
Mark Lohan is a trade union official, who previously served as a City Councillor.
He was selected by party delegates at a convention in Connemara tonight.
The contest to fill the seat vacated by Catherine Connolly, following her election to the Office of President, will take place in May.
Mr Lohan says he will seek to generate support for a "new progressive agenda for Galway" as he campaigns to take a Dáil seat.
He emerged as the party’s choice from a field of four contenders at this evening’s convention.
Sinn Féin already holds one seat in Galway West, after Mairead Farrell topped the poll in the 2024 General Election.
The party is the latest to finalise its selection process, with a little over two months to go before the expected polling day.
Other declared candidates so far include Sean Kyne of Fine Gael, Labour’s Helen Ogbu, Noel Thomas from Independent Ireland, along with Independents Thomas Welby and Sheila Garrity.
Míde Nic Fhionnlaoich is standing for the Social Democrats, the Green Party is represented by Niall Murphy, Denman Rooke runs for People Before Profit, while Orla Nugent is the Aontú candidate.
The field will have at least one more entrant, when Fianna Fáil picks its candidate in the coming days. It is thought the current Mayor of Galway, Independent Mike Cubbard, may also throw his hat in the ring.
