Rewording the original text (in British English), we get:
Key Highlights
County Election Results
– Proclaiming the first victory in the 2024 local elections, Thomas Welby, an independent, has seized his place on the Conamara North LEA’s Galway County Council.
– To date, nine councillors have secured their positions, including three independents and four representatives from Fine Gael.
– Preliminary results hint at modest advancements for Sinn Féin, though not as considerable as projected months prior.
– It’s likely there will be a drop in the endorsement for ruling parties.
– The independent candidates have robust survey results.
– There’s an ongoing search for a diamond misplaced in a Galway ballot box during yesterday’s vote.
European Election Round-Up
– Tánaiste Micheal Martin confirms Fianna Fáil’s stronger than anticipated performance and the probability of Billy Kelleher maintaining his Ireland South seat. He also predicts a possible increase in seats for Midlands-North-West.
– Preliminary results portray favourable results for Luke Ming Flanagan and Fine Gael’s Maria in Midlands-North-West.
– Fine Gael’s Regina Doherty and Fianna Fáil’s Barry Andrews in Dublin are also, according to initial results, amassing substantial support and are in a favourable position to retain their party’s seats.
– Former Labour TD and Senator Kevin Humphreys warns that emerging trends might cause concern within Sinn Féin.
Mayoral Election in Limerick
– Independent candidate John Moran, previously secretary-general at the Department of Finance, has an early lead.
Must-Reads
– A piece by Jennifer Bray asserts a commendable performance by independent candidates in local elections.
– Pat Leahy’s analysis points out that the challenges faced by Sinn Féin could potentially benefit the Independents more than the ruling government parties.
Elections 2024
– European Election
– Dublin
– Midlands-North-West (MNW)
– Ireland South
– EU&I Voter App
– Mayoralty in Limerick
– Local Elections
– Coverage of individual county elections.
The names on this list represent councils in Ireland:
– Laois
– Leitrim
– Limerick
– Longford
– Louth
– Mayo
– Meath
– Monaghan
– Offaly
– Roscommon
– Sligo
– South Dublin
– Tipperary
– Waterford
– Westmeath
– Wexford
– Wicklow
The very first Councillors to be chosen in Dublin were James Geoghegan and Hazel Chu. These two councillors were chosen by Fine Gael and the Green Party to fill the first two vacancies in the Dublin City Council. At the electoral counting station in Pembroke LEA, James Geoghegan earned a high count of 2,327 votes far surpassing the required quota of 1,947. Hazel Chu of the Green Party, who has been a councillor since 2019 and was appointed Mayor of Dublin City in 2020, comfortably retained her seat with a tally of 1,973 votes, surpassing the quota in Pembroke LEA.
COME TEATIME’TIS FAR FROM OVER
As teatime rolled around on Saturday, despite it being very early in the day, some key trends had already started to show.
Trend Numero Uno
There’s new analysis from Pat Leahy, which suggests that Sinn Féin might be facing an unwelcome election outcome. Pat writes that it is now clear that Sinn Féin are staring down the barrel of a tough weekend. The extent of the adversity they shall face isn’t yet completely apparent. The shape of the party’s future though, according to Pat, looks darker than the day before.
Interestingly, despite Sinn Féin’s loss of 80 seats in 2019, they have still managed to secure a few spots, albeit not as strongly as predicted earlier. One attributing factor to Sinn Féin’s poor performance in certain areas is that they presented too many candidates. A classic example is Mary Lou McDonald’s own Cabra-Glasnevin. However, there are also exceptions, with Sinn Féin appearing as the largest party in Monaghan and performing rather well in Offaly.
Reacting to the situation, Pearse Doherty said in an interview on RTÉ: “Our expectations have not been met and it’s certainly a blow,” he revealed.
Our commitment to ushering in change is unwavering, and we place great emphasis on articulating our message lucidly. We’re aware of our obligation to be at the peak of our readiness for the approaching general elections.
Observing the Second Trend, it’s noteworthy that the government parties appear to be maintaining their stance, including the Green party. Despite the expected loss of some seats, Fianna Fáil and the Greens are unlikely to suffer a drastic loss; a stark contrast to previous elections. Fine Gael is predicted to reign as the major party in local government, while Fianna Fáil appears poised for success in the European constituencies. Although the Green party’s percentage share has experienced a dip, many of their councillors are expected to retain their seats. However, their two MEPs may not be as fortunate. Although, Roderic O’Gorman has suggested to Martin Wall that he has hopes to secure one of the final seats.
Looking at the Third Trend, Independents and the nascent Independent Ireland party have enjoyed a fruitful day. Both Ciaran Mullooly and Niall Boylan seem to be on course to be elected as MEPs. The group may also bring back a dozen councillors, or possibly even more. Meanwhile, Aontú might be securing a few additional council seats. The 100 Per Cent Redress group in Donegal, campaigning on a single issue related to mica-damaged homes, might successfully get three of its candidates returned. The Healy Raes have fared successfully in Kerry, as has Kevin Boxer Moran in Athlone, Co Westmeath, while the first elected councillor in the State was an Independent, Thomas Welby in North Connemara.
The Fourth Trend highlights the smaller parties’ performance. Labour seems to be progressing nicely and could win a few additional seats. Also of note is Aodhán O Ríordáin’s good performance in Dublin. The Social Democrats, while not faring particularly well in the European, might acquire new councillors in locations like Kildare. Even PBP-Solidarity is likely to see a smattering of gains following a disappointing 2019 election, with ex-TD Ruth Coppinger potentially securing a seat in Fingal.
There’s a noted increase in backing for far right politicians and those taking a strong stance against immigration, while remaining on the fringes compared to their influence in many European countries. A handful of candidates in Dublin, including Malachi Steenson and Gavan Pepper, possess the potential to secure council positions. Immigration was the primary focus for Niall Boylan’s campaign, putting him in a competitive position for Dublin’s council seat.
Seamus McGrath, sibling to the Finance Minister, appears to dominate the local government elections, likely to secure the largest number of votes across the state. Early indications from the Carrigaline LEA for Cork Council predict McGrath to secure an impressive 5,000 votes, topping the quota by over two and a half times. He has expressed interest in a bid for the Dáil if the opportunity presents itself.
Meanwhile, Tommy Griffin achieves his council position in the Corcha Dhuibhne LEA of West Kerry. Likewise, counts are underway for 40 seats in Fingal County Council. Sitting Mayor Adrian Henchy of Fianna Fáil may struggle to maintain his position.
The count occurs near Dublin Airport in Cloghran – a process initially planned to start at 5pm but suspended due to transportation delays of ballot boxes from the RDS in Dublin city where the separation of local and European ballots were previously managed.
The Labour party fares well in the Donabate/Lusk region with Carina Johnson performing strongly – their presence could potentially result in two seats, especially considering Robert O’Donoghue’s encouraging polling. Despite this, Henchy risks losing his seat as early data indicates his approval rate to be a mere eight percent. There’s optimism for Eoghan Dockrell of Fine Gael’s chances in the Lus/Donabate region while Luke Corkery could potentially win a seat in Swords.
In Swords, Dean Mulligan, representing Independents4Change, is leading with 14.9% of votes, followed closely by Fianna Fáil’s Darragh Butler.
In the areas of Howth/Malahide, Joan Hopkins of the Social Democrats has been predicted as the leader, achieving 15.5pc of votes according to tallies. Fianna Fáil’s Cathal Haughey, son of Conor Haughey and grandson of former Taoiseach Charles Haughey, appears to have a good share of the vote as well.
Two previous TDs might be making their return to the council room in Fingal. This includes Brendan Ryan, an ex-Labour Party TD, who has attracted a lot of votes in Balbriggan and Ruth Coppinger, who is racing for a seat for People Before Profit–Solidarity in the Castleknock district.
The western Dublin region of Ongar seems to be going in favour of People Before Profit-Solidarity with 28 per cent of the votes reportedly going to Kate Relihan.
Sinn Féin has fielded the largest number of candidates, 15 in total, from among all political parties but hasn’t experienced a widespread increase in its support. However, Sinn Féin appears to be doing well in Blanchardstown/Mulhuddart according to the votes.
Within the county of Offaly, a possible gain for Sinn Féin, which didn’t win any seats in 2019, seems likely, whilst the Green Party appears set to lose its single council position. The final vote count for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael in Co Offaly appears stable compared to their 2019 returns.
Given the way the transfers are falling, Sinn Féin seems set to gain a council role for each of the three local areas. However, an official representative for the Offaly County Council won’t be confirmed for some time since votes are being relocated from Birr to a Tullamore community centre for counting later.
Meanwhile, current Fianna Fáil TD Barry Cowen is leading the race for European representation among Co Offaly voters, with tallies indicating that he’s secured 50 per cent of the initial preference votes. Former RTE Midlands correspondent Ciaran Mullooly is trailing with 12 per cent of the vote, closely followed by Fine Gael’s ex-jockey Nina Carberry at 10 per cent. Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan hopes his 8 per cent share will secure his return to the MEP seat.
According to initial tallies, there appears to be minimal seat changes in the East Cork election. Reporter Amy Campbell reports that three out of four existing candidates are projected to maintain their positions. Independent Mary Linehan Foley is currently in the lead with 26.7% of the votes, based on 34.8% of the collected ballots. Following her are incumbent Fine Gael councillor Michael Hegarty and newcomer Patrick Mulcahy from Fianna Fáil, securing 13.8% and 13.2% of the votes respectively.
Social Democrats’ Liam Quaide, with 10.3% approval, is anticipated to maintain his seat which he inherited from the Green Party in 2019. Rory Cocking and Alison Curtin from Fine Gael have secured 8.1% and 6.7% of the votes in the initial tally. They are closely chased by current Fianna Fáil Councillor Anne Marie Aherne who secured 6.6% of the vote.
Additional statistics reveal John Buckley, an independent candidate, to be at 5.3%, and Edith Adams from Sinn Fein, as well as Eileen Kelly McCarthy from Independent Ireland, stand at 5% respectively. Aontu’s Mona Stromsoe secured 4.4%. The lowest votes so far are received by Sean Buckley, Paddy Bullman from Ireland First, The Green Party’s Clodagh Harrington, Michelle Neville and The Irish People’s James O’Sullivan who secured 3.9%, 2.9%, 2.8%, 1.3% and 1.2% respectively.
In other news from Galway, journalist John Fallon confirms the election of five councillors. This follows the election of Thomas Welby in North Connemara, along with three councillors in the southern region. Among the elected is Séamus Walsh, former member of the Fianna Fáil party. Walsh left his party following disagreements on an asylum seekers centre in Roscahill earlier in the year. He was elected in the second round of voting in Connemara North.
Tánaiste Micheál Martin has publically commented in Cork on the current results showing Fianna Fáil outperforming previous expectations. It was previously believed that Fianna Fáil would lag behind in the third place, a notion that has now been effectively debunked. For the past three years, Fianna Fáil have maintained a 14-15% following in opinion polls; their current performance clearly surpasses these numbers. Martin predicts that their voter percentage will exceed 20% once all votes have been accounted for.
In South Galway, the incumbent councillors – Fine Gael’s PJ Murphy (1953 votes), Fianna Fáil’s Martina Kinane (1884 votes) and Independent Candidate Geraldine Donoghue (1761 votes) – have all been re-elected in the first count in Gort-Kinvara. Also, Fine Gael’s Paul Killilea (1538 votes) is anticipated to occupy the fourth seat, followed by Fianna Fáil’s Gerry Finnerty (1225 votes) likely to clinch the last seat. In contrast, Megan Flynn Dixon from the Green Party (762 votes) and Lucina Kelly from Sinn Féin (523 votes) seems to be trailing behind substantially.
In relation to the European elections, Martin is confident of Fianna Fáil bagging some major wins. He acknowledged the positive outcome for Fianna Fáil in securing council seats, but stated his and his coalition’s commitment to complete the government’s tenure. Denying any possibilities of a General election in autumn, he believes it could be held in February or March next year. He reinforced the sentiments of Minister for Public Expenditure, Paschal Donohoe, who had made similar comments earlier in the day. Martin expressed hope in Billy Kelleher retaining his Ireland South seat and Cynthia Ní Mhurchú contesting for another. Furthermore, he predicts a seat for Fianna Fáil in Ireland North West, marking a first for the party in a decade and a half.
Regarding the Cavan count, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are cut-throat competitors with Aontú making a significant appearance. Tallying in the three municipal districts has concluded.
Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are evenly matched with a 28 per cent vote share apiece, while Independents and others, inclusive of Aontú, retain 27 per cent. Sinn Féin holds 17 per cent of the vote.
In the Bailieborough-Cootehill LEA elections, Aontú’s Sarah O’Reilly takes the lead with 1,746 ballots, equating to 14.6 per cent of the vote, beating the estimated quota of 1,714 and setting her up for first count election. Cllr Carmel Brady of Fine Gael follows with 14 per cent of the first preference votes, while her colleague Cllr Val Smith secures 1,391 votes for an 11.6 per cent share.
Fianna Fáil’s Clifford Kelly receives 1,233 votes (10.3 per cent), pursued by party member Cllr Aiden Fitzpatrick at 1,165 votes or 9.7 per cent share. With 9.1 per cent of the votes is Fianna Fáil’s Niall Smith, the cousin of Deputy Niamh Smyth.
Meanwhile, the two Sinn Féin contenders – newcomer Stiofan Conaty and Cllr Paddy McDonald – count 1,065 (8.9 per cent) and 756 votes (6.3 per cent) respectively. Though it appears that Sinn Féin will maintain its seat, there may be a shift in leadership.
In the Ballyjamesduff LEA, Independent Ireland’s Cllr Shane P. O’Reilly, formerly affiliated with Fianna Fáil, emerges as the likely frontrunner. With an initial count of 1,753 ballots (14.6 per cent), and an expected quota of 1,652, a first count election seems promising. In second place is Fine Gael’s Cllr Trevor Smith with 1,653 votes, followed by party colleague Cllr Winston Bennett with 1,446 votes.
Cathaoirleach Cllr Philip Brady (FF) is trailing narrowly with 1,276 votes while Cllr T.P. O’reilly from Fine Gael has collected 1,156 votes. Sinn Féin’s Noel Connell is striving to win back his 2019 lost seat with his 1,055 votes. Lester Gordon from Shamrock Independents, standing as an outsider, is in close competition with 990 primary preferences while Fianna Fáil’s Nathan Galligan managed to acquire 836 votes.
Moving to the Cavan-Belturbet LEA, Fianna Fáil’s Cllr Áine Smith is predicted to top the poll, a mixed blessing for the school teacher who joined the Cavan county council due to her father Cllr Sean Smith’s demise. Garnering 1,698 first preference votes, and an anticipated quota of 1,394, she’s closely followed by Independent Cllr Brendan Fay, who with 1,634 votes, is also expected to be successful in the earliest count.
Niamh Brady from Fine Gael, aiming to secure her mother Cllr Madeleine Argue’s seat, has performed impressively in her maiden attempt, securing 999 votes. Meanwhile, Cllr John Paul Feeley from FF is in the fourth place with 983 votes, with Sinn Féin’s Damien Brady on his tail with 966 votes, positioning him solidly to win back his 2019 lost seat. Cllr Peter McVitty from FG with 935 votes is pressuring Patricia Walsh (FF) with her 949 votes, while Sinn Féin’s Michael ‘Bricker’ Wall has also thrown his hat in the ring with 853 votes. Transfer of votes would be crucial in deciding the winner.
In West Cork, the early results reveal a promising prospect for the independents. Home of Independent Ireland leader Michael Collins, the preliminary count suggests the party’s nominees, John Collins in Bandon/Kinsale and Danny Collins in Bantry are looking likely to secure their places.
Fine Gael is demonstrating significant strength within the three Local Election Areas (LEAs) in West Cork. Noel O’Donovan is predicted to lead the poll in Skibbereen. Results vary for Fianna Fáil; Margaret Murphy O’Mahony is expecting a battle if the tally figures are accurate. Sinn Féin had aimed for Cork South West as a potential increase in the upcoming general election, however their candidates in Skibbereen and Bandon trail far behind.
In Killarney, no alterations are foreseen
Penned by Anne Lucey:
Notwithstanding the considerable participant count in Killarney, political observers have predicted stability. Almost 20% of the 52 voting boxes counted in Killarney indicates that Maura Healy-Rae appears to be easily leading with a score above 1000, quickly followed by independent candidate Martin Grady with 678 votes.
Grady, known for his vocal stance on immigration, polls surprisingly well, with independent John O’Donoghue holding 626 first preference votes. Grady and Donoghue were both selected following the retirement of their father and uncle respectively. Their forbearers also polled high in 2019.
Independent councillor Brendan Cronin is at 585, while other current councillors are closely grouped, such as Labour’s Marie Moloney with 342 and Niall Botty O’Callaghan with 330 votes.
Fianna Fáil’s Niall Kelleher, Killarney’s mayor, is polling at 268 votes.
Fianna Fáil are demonstrating strength in Roscommon LEA
Covered by James Fogarty:
Roscommon LEA, including the town and surrounding areas, have drawn their final tally with Cllr Paschal Fitzmaurice of Fianna Fáil forecasted to lead with 1,845 votes. His colleagues Marty McDermott and Larry Brennan are also looking promising. Gareth Scahill is envisaged to secure a seat for Fine Gael, while Independent Ireland’s Nigel Dineen and Independent Tony Waldron are also well-positioned with a predicted quota of 1,500. The votes stand as:
Brennan (FF) : 1,191
Dineen (II) : 1,318
Finnegan (IP) : 78
Fitzmaurice (FF) : 1,845
Hester (GP) : 147
From Monaghan, Seanín Graham brings some encouraging tidings for Sinn Féin. Thanks to the counting so far, projections indicate that Sinn Féin could secure two more spots on the country council. Fine Gael also stands to gain an additional place. It’s not such good news for Fianna Fáil, however, as they look set to lose one position, and only one Independent is predicted to secure a seat. Should these projections be accurate, Sinn Féin would emerge as the council’s largest party, controlling eight seats to Fine Gael’s six and Fianna Fáil’s three. One seat would be held by an Independent.
Meanwhile, all the votes have been counted in the Granard and Ballymahon local electoral areas in Longford. Jessica Thompson provides an update on the situation there. Both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil appear to be doing well.
In Granard:
Participation Rate: 67.6%
FG: 58.7%
FF: 17.7%
SF: 3.6%
Independents: 20%
Garry Murtagh of FG took home 20.4% of the votes, closely followed by independent candidate Turlough ‘Pott’ McGovern with 20%. Along with them, Paraic Brady, Colin Dalton, and Padraig McNamara also represent FG with 16.9%, 11.6% and 9.8% respectively. David Cassidy, Susan Murphy, and Marett Smith of FF achieved 7.6%, 6% and 4.1% respectively, while Barry Campion (SF) gained 3.6%.
In Ballymahon:
Participation Rate: 60.7% FG: 34.6% FF: 30.9% SF: 7.9% Independent: 24.4% IP: 2.3%
Written by Olivia Kelly from Dublin:
Although the Green Party may not replicate their stunning 2019 results in Dublin city, the initial numbers indicate a solid voter base, and they could potentially lead the polls. One of their newcomers, Feljin Jose, appears poised to secure the first position in the very competitive Cabra Glasnevin Ward, battling against 20 other contestants for seven available spots. Other established councillors like Claire Byrne in the southeast inner city, Micheal Pidgeon in South West Inner City and Carolyn Moore in Kimmage Rathmines also look set to perform well.
The Social Democrats too have shown a strong performance, particularly in the northern part of the city, where they might win two seats in Artane Whitehall. Veteran Independent, John Lyons is likely to lead the vote in the same area.
There is a potential for a council seat to be occupied by a far-right candidate for the first time, possibly at the expense of Sinn Fein, with Kevin Coyle being the one to watch. Gavin Pepper, another far-right candidate, may obtain a seat in Ballymun Finglas, but Malachy Steenson appears to be more confident of achieving success in the North Inner City.
Both main parties, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, are demonstrating a strong performance across the city. Fianna Fail is likely to garner two seats in Donaghmede, with Tom Brabazon drawing a remarkable 19.9 per cent of the vote, according to initial calculations. Fine Gael might pick up two seats in Cabra Glasnevin. While Labour is looking for vote transfers to get any seat in most northern areas, they have a more solid outlook on the southern side with Dermot Lacey in Pembroke and Fiona Connolly in Kimmage Rathmines.
On a side note, the independent candidates are also having a noticeable impact.
Assessing patterns is typically simpler for political parties compared to independent candidates, given their lack of a unified group. The year 2024 presents no divergence from the norm, with independents frequently performing well in local elections. A case in point involves the election of Independent Thomas Welby as the first councillor in the state, in North Connemara. In Donegal, the Mica candidates, who campaigned under the banner of 100 Percent Redress, did exceptionally well. Preliminary results hint at the likely election of two councillors, with a third in the Letterkenny LEA potentially following suit, pending the accuracy of the tallies.
Conversely, the independents associated with Verona Murphy, Independent TD for Wexford, haven’t shown the same promise, but the race is far from over.
Another matter of intrigue today pertains to the fate of the 66 Aontú candidates in the local elections, in addition to those representing the Independent Ireland banner.
I’m Harry McGee, taking over from Conor Pope for the evening phase as we transition from tallies to counts, from hopefuls to confirmed candidates.
Thomas Welby, emerging from the same lineage as Bobby Molloy, has been elected the first councillor. Historically, the Welby family aligned themselves with the PDs following Molloy’s departure from Fianna Fáil in 1986, a faction that continues to maintain a footing in Galway County Council, Galway City Council, and the Dáil. Welby has topped the first poll as a siting councillor and won a seat on Galway County Council for the Conamara North LEA.
Lastly, it’s worth highlighting the performance of James Stokes in Kildare. At only 18, the youngest candidate in the country has demonstrated robust competitiveness, with a potential council seat in the Newbridge LEA up for grabs.
The expectations indicate that Mr Stokes, who is training to be a primary teacher at Maynooth University, is expected to secure one of the six available seats in Newbridge. The counting procedure for votes in Newbridge, one amongst eight electoral regions within the county, is scheduled for Sunday.
Today, vote counts for Celbridge, Clane, Maynooth, and Naas are taking place at the Punchestown Racecourse, while the counts for the other three regions, Athy, Kildare, and Clane, will commence Sunday morning. After a hiatus of almost half a decade, Kevin Boxer Moran is making a political comeback.
Paschal Donohoe, the Minister for Public Expenditure, shared his thoughts on RTE Radio 1, suggesting that Fine Gael stands a good chance to perform well as counts result for the local elections. However, he also emphasised the need to approach the rise of far-right politics in Ireland with caution, neither overstating nor understating the potential fallouts.
Malachy Steenson, who promoted an anti-immigration agenda in Donohoe’s district, looks poised for an election to the Dublin City Council. Still, Donohoe believes that Fine Gael’s current councillor Ray McAdam might secure a victorious poll result in the north inner city electoral zone. Regarding the possibility of another general election, Donohoe downplayed its likelihood after consulting with the Taoiseach, Simon Harris.
In some of the Local Electoral Areas (LEA) for the Dublin City Council, where the votes have been fully tallied, Green Party, Social Democrats, and Fine Gael candidates have seen positive feedback. In Pembroke, James Geoghegan of Fine Gael received the majority of first preference votes (19.9 per cent), trailed by Green Party’s councillor Hazel Chu (16.8 per cent) and Labour’s Dermot Lacey (16.4 per cent).
In the latest election update, Emma Blain from the New Fine Gael and Rory Hogan of Fianna Fáil are set out in top positions, whereas Karen Hinkson-Deeney from the Social Democrats lies at the sixth position. Unfortunately, Connor Rafferty, the representative from the Irish People, is at the bottom-rank with only 298 prioritised votes (2.6%).
As far as the South East Inner City LEA is concerned, Claire Byrne of the Green Party is leading, acquiring 15% of the primary votes. Sinn Féin’s serving councillor, Daniel Céitlinn, is positioned sixth out of five positions in the LEA, securing 7.1%. However, the emerging candidate of the Social Democrats, Cian Farrell, holds the third spot (8.5%) after Danny Byrne, the Fine Gael councillor with 10.2%. This could imply a potentially expanding influence of the Social Democrats.
Brigid Purcell, from the People Before Profit party, has obtained 7.3% of the primary votes, reaching fourth place, with Mannix Flynn, an independent councillor, tailing closely at 7.2%.
In the Kimmage-Rathmines region, where Punam Rane and Patrick Kinsella secured the second and sixth positions respectively, the New Fine Gael party is likely to secure an extra seat. However, Sinn Féin’s representative Jacinta Deigan is in the eighth position with a 5.4% vote share.
Furthermore, Green Party councillor Carolyn Moore led the poll with 12.2%, followed by Labour councillor Fiona Connelly at 10.9% and Right to Change councillor Pat Dunne at 10.7%. While in the South West Inner City, 100% of the votes have been counted; the Green Party is in the lead position. Councillor Michael Pidgeon captured 18.7% of the votes, followed by Labour’s Darragh Moriarty with a 12% vote share and the Social Democrats representative Jen Cummins with 11%.
Finally, in Ballyfermot-Drimnagh LEA, after all the votes were counted, Daithí Doolan held the top rank with 15%, followed by independent councillor Vincent Jackson with 13% and People Before Profit councillor Hazel De Nortuín at 11%. Independent Ireland’s Philip Sutcliffe secured 7% while Barry Ward of the Irish Freedom Party ended last with 5%.
Based on the collection of tallies, Sutcliffe, who is running for election in Kimmage-Rathmines, comes in tenth place, with a 5.1% share of first preference votes (848).
As the tallying for the Louth County Council approaches its conclusion, it’s apparent that independent candidates are putting forth a solid performance, according to reporter Shauna Bowers.
In the local electoral district of Dundalk South, independent Cllr Maeve Yore leads the vote count, giving her a likely third term on the council. Paddy McQuillan and Kevin Callan are independent contenders that seem likely to secure seats in the Drogheda Rural local electoral area, based on preliminary tallies.
Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael appear set to retain their prevailing roles on the council. The plebiscite also seem to favour Labour, with Pio Smith and Michelle Hall leading the votes in their respective local electoral areas.
Whilst the previous election was not fruitful for Sinn Féin, the party may improve its fortune this time around. In the Dundalk Carlingford local electoral area, Antoin Watters is enjoying a lead in the tally count, with over 70% of boxes accounted.
Tally results from Wicklow propose that independent Ireland candidate Ian Neary is poised to secure a seat on Wicklow County Council according to reporter Tim O’Brien. In the Bray East Municipal area, with all ballot boxes accounted for, Neary secures third place in the four-seat competition, bagging 13.9% of the votes.
In the Wicklow local electoral area, candidate John Larkin, who represents ‘Newtrownmountkennedy says no’, appears to be losing ground after acquiring about 10% of the early tally count. As of 2.15pm, with 56% of ballot boxes counted, Larkin’s share has fallen to a mere 4.6%. The current party breakdown is at 19% for FG, 14.7% for FF, 9.3% for SD, 3.9% for Labour, with Sinn Féin at 10%.
Contrary to Clare, where the count will be halted at 4pm to allow viewers to watch the Munster hurling final, there will be no such break in Limerick due to the pressing needs of the Mayoral count, beginning Monday. As a result, election counting for council seats must be completed prior to then.
In a separate story from Cavan, journalist Linda O’Reilly shares that completely tallying from the Cavan Belturbet LEA suggests potential victories for Sinn Fein, indicating a potential regain of the seat lost in 2019, and possibly an additional win over Fianna Fail and Fine Gael. It’s predicted that Cllr Aine Smith, representing Fianna Fail, may emerge as the top poller.
In Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, Fine Gael appears to be polling well, as Marie O’Halloran reports. The Green party’s votes are remaining steady, with expectations to secure between five and six of their seats, one in each electoral area.
Unfortunately, Sinn Féin’s performance has been less favourable, losing their three seats from the 2019 elections. Party tallies suggest regaining a seat in any ward will prove challenging, despite tally health warnings.
In the Stillorgan district, strong performances from Fine Gael have resulted in 53.32% of the votes and three seats. A surplus of over 10% raises questions of distribution of additional votes.
Meanwhile, the remaining three seats have the Social Democrats, Fianna Fáil, Greens and Independents in competition.
In the seven-seater area of Glencullen, independent Cllr Mick Fleming holds a sturdy lead with approximately 3,666 votes, over two quotas. In second position, Labour’s Lettie McCarthy, follows, with Fine Gael claiming third and Greens in fourth. The fifth seat is anticipated to go to Fianna Fáil.
Lastly, within Blackrock, Fine Gael’s Marie Baker nearly possesses two quotas according to party tallies. Despite this being perceived as vote management failure by Fine Gael Senator Barry Ward, the party is anticipated to secure two seats.
In Dundrum, independent Councillor Sean McLougjlin has emerged as the leader in the initial vote count, trailing right behind him is Jim O’Leary from Fine Gael and Shay Brennan from Fianna Fáil takes the third spot. Amidst expectations for a Green seat, Peter O’Brien of Labour, who ranks fourth, is highly likely to secure a seat as well.
Tally results point towards Fine Gael obtaining three seats in Killiney-Shankill. Surmises about the quantity of competing Sinn Féin candidates began to surface.
Reacting to the preliminary results of both the local and European elections, the three coalition parties are reservedly affirming the outcomes. Voices from the Green Party anticipate a better performance than initially projected, and Fine Gael is also guardedly hopeful their final result corresponds with the recent predictions. Independent candidates are set to enjoy a favourable election day.
Jennifer Bray, the Political Correspondent, provides a comprehensive analysis of the election progress during the initial phases of what is anticipated to be an extended counting weekend.
There’s been no update on The Galway Ring’s whereabouts, however, some good news emerges from Wicklow. Fianna Fail’s elections director for the Local Elections, Jack Chambers, expressed optimism on RTE Radio, hinting at a potential victory for his party in the councillors race.
He noted, “As a party, we’re performing well, our vote is holding steady in many electoral sectors and we’re still competitive across five, six, and seven seat constituencies.” Chambers added, “We were very visible and active at the grassroots level, and I believe we stand a chance to be the leading party in local government, though it’s too early to confirm. However, in the recent opinion polls, we were lagging behind two other parties.”
In other news, former General Secretary at the Department of Finance, John Moran, an independent candidate, appears to be the forerunner in Limerick’s inaugural Directly Elected Mayoral election, based on an unofficial tally at Limerick Racecourse Count Centre.
After the initial 20% of the ballot boxes were opened, the initial results were as follows: John Moran, independent (25%), Helen O’Donnell, independent (17%), Dee Ryan, FF (14%), and Daniel Butler FG (Former Mayor), with 11%.
An analysis of the early voting results in Ireland shows an interesting trend. Maurice Quinlivan from SF is leading with 10%, followed by independent Frankie Daly with 6%. Brian Leddin, representing the Green Party, has garnered 4% of the votes. Aontú’s Sarah Beasley, S-DEM’s Elisa O’Donovan and RA’s Dr Laura Keyes are standing at 3%, 3% and 2% respectively. PBP’s Ruairí Fahy, SP’s Caitríona Ní Chatháin and Gerben Uunk from the Animal Party each hold 1% of the votes, with Colm O’Móráin, an independent, yet to make a mark.
The vote counting process will commence on Monday at the earliest, and it appears that the results might mimic those suggested by the pre-vote polls. Independent candidates are faring well, with notable support for those who hold anti-immigration stances, ranging from mild sceptics to hard-right proponents focusing on “Ireland for the Irish”. However, early indications suggest a greater chance of success for the former.
It appears there’s a decline in support for governmental parties, although it’s not catastrophic. It seems likely that both Fianna Fail and Fine Gael will suffer losses in local authority seats, in line with expectations following their solid performance in 2019. However, early Euro tallies indicate both parties will secure seats in each constituency.
Contrary to predictions, there’s no sign of a Green vote collapse. Local tallies imply the feared decimation of Green councillors will not occur. On the other hand, while Sinn Fein will secure a substantial number of seats, the downward trend in their opinion poll ratings of recent months is beginning to show in the voting results.
Kevin Cunningham, from the polling company Ireland Thinks, commented on the early figures coming from the rural areas. He pointed out a growth in the Sinn Fein vote, albeit less than anticipated. The Fianna Fail vote is down in most areas, while Fine Gael shows a mixed picture, with results up in some areas and down in others. He speculates that the latter might emerge as the party with the most representatives across councils.
The Green Party is gaining ground in various regions, as stated by a spokesperson. Independents are experiencing a minor increase and are expected to fare well, although there seems to be no substantial surge in support for them and they could face difficulties with transfers. It’s important, however, to consider these observations with caution.
We have received additional reports from Jennifer Bray in Dublin, and Darragh Murphy has contributed from Waterford City. Local Fine Gael councillor Lola O’Sullivan is leading convincingly in Tramore and City West, currently polling at 18.3% with over 600 votes from early tallies. Sinn Féin’s Cllr Jim Griffin is trailing behind in second place with a 10.6% share. In Waterford City East, new Independent candidate Declan Barry is doing particularly well, having secured 18.2% of the vote. Another Independent, Cllr David Daniels, follows with 14.2% of the vote in this area. In Waterford City South, Independent Cllr Donal Barry is far ahead with nearly 20% of the vote to date. In Dungarvan, a Fianna Fáil councillor is garnering support with 17.4% of the vote. Sinn Féin’s Cllr Conor Mcguinness is just behind at 16.9%, and Cllr Damien Geoghegan of Fine Gael currently stands at 11.7%.
Our coverage of the Roscommon counts is provided by James Fogarty. Incumbent FF councillor Paschal Fitzmaurice leads on 687, closely followed by Independent Ireland sitting councillor Nigel Dineen, an ally of TD Michael Fitzmaurice, on 606. In the Boyle LEA, Independent Micheál Frain leads strongly with 712, followed by a SF candidate on 575.
An unusual incident in Galway’s Leisureland saw a diamond allegedly falling into a ballot box, which remains unfound despite meticulous checks. We will keep you updated on any developments.
Additional reports have been received from Jennifer Bray and Anne Lucey in Kerry suggests that the sway of the Healy Rae’s remains unchallenged.
The votes for Corca Dhuibhne have been tallied, sealed and dispatched to Mitchell’s Tralee for an initial count that is projected to occur around 2pm. In Castleisland, a quartet seat area within the Municipal District’s extremity, Jackie Healy-Rae is anticipated to replicate his outstanding performance as the vote leader from 2019; he has nearly 30 percent of the initial preferred votes. Independent Charlie Farrelly has also made a commendable impression, coming in second with slightly below 20 percent. Bobby O’Connell of the Fine Gael party and one of the most tenured councillors in Kerry is also in the running with just under 18 percent. Michelle Keane, an independent candidate, has turned heads with her surging popularity, especially on the LEA’s eastern sector. She’s currently leading over Sinn Fein’s Deirdre Bell who currently is at 6.1 percent, however, it’s still early. Both ladies are originally from Knocknagoshel near the border with Limerick.
Adding to the recent news compilation by Jennifer Bray. A unique incident took place in Galway where a ballot box from the Gort-Kinvara region had to be opened on the ground after a diamond accidentally fell into it. The operation to recover it is currently underway at Leisureland, reports John Fallon.
Marese McDonagh, covering the elections from Sligo, submitted this update.
According to a tally of 15/36 boxes from the Sligo-Strandhill LEA, Sinn Fein’s Chris MacManus, from his home region, ranked highest with 34 percent votes, followed by Luke Ming Flanagan at 9 and Fine Gael’s Maria Walsh at 8 percent. Fianna Fail’s leading candidates, Lisa Chambers and Barry Cowen are each at four percent, neck to neck with former RTE midlands correspondent Ciaran Mulooly. People Before Profit’s Brian O’Boyle is at six percent in Sligo while both Fianna Fail’s Neil Blaney and Nina Carberry (FG) stand at three percent.
Ellen O’Riordan provided statistics on the same electoral proceedings from the midlands.
The initial counting results indicate that Fianna Fail’s representative, Barry Cowen, is leading significantly against his competitors in his native county of Offaly. Similarly, strong backing is observed for Independent Ireland’s candidate, Ciaran Mullooly, the former RTE Midlands correspondent. Nina Carberry of Fine Gael, an ex-jockey, also appears to be faring well, as is Independent Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan, who’s vying for his MEP seat retention.
Adding details from Kerry and information shared by Sorcha Crowley in Leitrim. Preliminary signs from Leitrim’s Ballinamore Local Electoral Area point to both Fine Gael and Sinn Féin garnering substantial votes. Enda McGloin (Fine Gael) and Brendan Barry (Sinn Féin) are leading with 22% and 19% of the vote, respectively. Fianna Fáil’s councillor Paddy O’Rourke from Carrigallen is at 10% – he was the top candidate in the county in 2019.
Anne Lucey in Kerry shares another update – Camden’s Robert Brosnan of Sinn Féin is projecting a strong performance, particularly in the three-seater. Seamus Cosái Fitzgerald, Fine Gael’s incumbent councillor, seems to be at risk. Tommy Griffin, Brendan Griffin’s assistant and Fine Gael’s second candidate, with a 24% lead, is currently outperforming all other candidates in the peninsula. Dr Peadar O’Fionnáin, the Green party candidate and a local GP, has demonstrated notable support, gaining votes from across the peninsula, from Ballyferriter to Lispole. Anticipation is high for Fianna Fail’s councillor from Milltown, Michael O’Shea, to retain his seat. Nevertheless, Fianna Fail’s additional candidate, Breandán Fitzgerald, could face challenges. Vote transfer would be imperative.
This morning, videographer Brian O’Bryan covered the counting process in Dublin. Meanwhile, in Limerick, David Raleigh offers an important insight – Vincent Murray, the Returning Officer, alerted reporters that photographing or videotaping ballot papers would lead to expulsion from the counting centre. Tensions are heightening at the Limerick Racecourse, even before the starting whistles blow.
It goes without saying, we are only at the beginning and initial figures carry more health risks than a tax-free cigarette pack. Could this be an early glimpse of things to come? This is certainly more of an endurance race than a sprint. The journey starts now…
The vote count has begun as ballots are being opened. A glimpse into the coming days will soon be revealed. Please stay with us!
While politics has always had a theatrical side, violence – abuse as content – on a large scale is a new development, according to anecdotal evidence. We’re living in an era where political violence seamlessly blurs the lines between the digital and physical world. Liz Carolan’s view gives context to our current situation and how we ended up here.
Jack Horgan Jones provides a comprehensive overview of the expected outcomes and key points to observe as the count proceeds.
In today’s piece, Miriam Lord writes, “Complaining has become the new socialising. We’ve always excelled at airing grievances but reports from canvassers nationwide indicate that people have reached a new level of discontent”. Her review of campaign highlights and challenges is a worthwhile read.
At the moment, this live update will primarily discuss election matters over the next 16 hours or so. But before we dive in, we thought we’d share a snippet of joyous moments from last night which you might have missed or simply want to relive.
Our front-page story today, though disheartening, isn’t surprising. It states that the campaign was tarnished with incidents of harassment, abuse and even instances of violence against candidates.
The article suggests that the police are currently investigating several incidents of assault and intimidation that occurred over the last month. Meanwhile, research from two organisations opposing extremism confirmed several candidates’ concerns about a campaign littered with episodes that incited fear for their safety.
This research indicates the majority of the instigators, including far-right candidates and critics of immigration, seem to be influenced by far-right rhetoric, across the political panorama.
Before this election cycle ends, we may need to address what occurs if a current TD is chosen as a European representative or as Limerick’s directly elected mayor. In usual circumstances, a byelection would naturally ensue, but rumours of an imminent general election, taking place prior to any scheduling of a byelection, are swirling around political circles. According to regulation, within six months of a TD’s retirement, the Dáil must initiate the writ for a byelection. However, a general election might occur earlier. We may find ourselves revisiting this scenario.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, there’s plenty to accomplish beforehand. Then there’s Limerick, with 15 contenders in the race to be the first-ever directly elected mayor in the Republic. The count doesn’t start until Monday, and with a solitary seat available, the required quota is 50% plus one of the valid votes. The higher threshold for victory means counting might extend into Tuesday.
Looking at the broader context, across the EU, 720 MEPs are to be elected, with seats distributed based on each member state’s population. Each country is afforded a minimum of six and a maximum of 96 MEPs.
Upon completion of the Local Election count, the European election count will proceed. With a large candidate pool competing for limited seats, it’s set to be a fierce contest everywhere. In the Midlands North-West, the ballot paper lists 27 contenders. In 2019, counting in Ireland South lasted roughly seven days. This year, 23 candidates are up for election in the same region. The Dublin count in the previous year was quicker, concluding in three days, and this year also sees 23 candidates vying for victory.
Regardless, the European count will kick off at 9am on Sunday, although results cannot be revealed until voting across Europe culminates at 10pm Irish time the following day.
This weekend, we’re anticipating three separate electoral counts: one for the European Parliament, one for local elections, and the first ever direct election for Limerick’s mayor.
What are the steps involved, you might wonder?
Initially, the ballot boxes will be unpacked and the individual papers sorted and distinguished. The beginning stage of the counting process will concentrate on the local election votes. Overall, there are an estimated 2,100 contenders across 31 local authorities and 166 local electoral areas. The 949 available seats are being hotly contested, intensifying the competition.
Given the volume, it will inevitably take a while for all the seats to be attributed. Meanwhile, the tallying staff at count centres nationwide will be steadily observing the unfolding of votes from the very start.
These early counts will present a preliminary glimpse into the election’s trajectory, attracting the attention of politicians, journalists, and this ongoing report.
Under normal circumstances, the count should conclude today. However, things do not always progress smoothly, so we can only anticipate and see how it unfolds.