Bahá’í convention

MEMBERS of the Bahá’í community from Clare attended the Irish Bahá’í national convention in University of Galway last weekend to consult about the community’s affairs and to elect their National Spiritual Assembly for the coming year.

The Bahá’í Faith does not have any clergy and the affairs of the community are managed by its members. In each area where Bahá’ís reside a 9-member local spiritual assembly is elected annually. There are three such assemblies in County Clare – Ennis, Shannon and East Clare. Delegates are elected locally to attend national convention and they, in turn, elect the National Assembly. There were four delegates from Clare at this year’s convention.

Bahá’í elections are very different from elections as we normally understand them. There are no nominations, no promotion of any individuals, no canvassing, no pre-election debates. The voters can vote for any adult members of the community they believe would be best suited to the role and they do not discuss their vote with anyone else.

“It is a unique system,” explains Madge Rainsford of Rosleven, Ennis, chairperson of the Ennis Local Assembly, “regarded more as a spiritual than political process”. Madge described the weekend as “a very positive event, with a great spirit throughout”.

One of those elected to the National Spiritual Assembly is a member of the County Clare Bahá’í community, Mr. Eoin Tynan-O’Mahony from Ennis. Pictured at the Convention are (l-r) Neda Shahidyazdani, Howard Kotoitubou, Mike Maguire, Eoin Tynan-O’Mahony, Maria Mc- Namara, Daniel Cunningham, Seán Ó hAnnracháin