An event in south Roscommon tonight to fill John Naughten's council seat is being described as "a sad occasion".
The Drum man died last October after over 20 years as a Fine Gael councillor.
The party will choose his successor at a selection convention in the Athlone Springs Hotel at 7.30 this evening.
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Around 60 party members will decide whether to give the seat to Moore's Valerie Duffy or Taughmaconnell's Ger Grehan.
Councillor Laurence Fallon is a long-time friend of the Naughten family.