MULTIMILLIONAIRE JJ McCabe said yesterday that he did not want to “buy” a seat on Clare County Council, after it emerged that he spent less than €2,400 of his €18 million fortune in his failed bid to become elected last June.
Official figures show the 73- year-old bachelor farmer, who stood as an Independent, spent €2,390 on his campaign. In terms of declared spending, this placed him in 38th place of 55 candidates.
The candidate who declared the highest figure was newly elected Cllr Tony Mulqueen (FG), who spent €6,531. The others to feature in the top five were Cllr Michael Begley (Ind) €6,173, Eugene McNamara (Ind) €5,541, Cllr Pat Hayes (FF) €5,830 and Cllr Brian Meaney (Green) €5,180.
Commenting on his spend yesterday, Mr McCabe said: “I didn’t want to buy the election.”
The Clarecastle man’s failure to secure a seat will allow him more time to spend in France where he owns a castle, a 20-bedroom hotel, an 1,100-acre farm and 10 houses, while he has also purchased a villa on the Algarve in Portugal.
Mr McCabe’s life changed dramatically in 2005 when he scooped €18.8 million in the biggest land deal in Clare during the property boom. Prior to this, he was a small farmer, with 20 cows.
Last June was his fifth attempt to win a council seat and he said yesterday that he would never run for office again. He added: “I have lost nothing. It is the electorate who have lost a man of great ability and skill.”
