Amidst the local election proceedings on Saturday, a disconcerting trend started appearing for Sinn Féin’s strategists. As preliminary results started filtering in from all over the country, it became quickly evident that the party’s secondary candidates were not faring well. None of the initial predictions pointed towards this general trend of lost votes, mainly to Independent contenders, especially in areas of Dublin where the party had set pretty high expectations.
As the weekend came to a close, the drawback of Sinn Féin’s far-reaching ambitions became indisputable. The party, that had contested the elections with 335 candidates countrywide, had clearly misread the ground situation. The conclusion of the election proceedings presented an opportunity to reflect and reassess their approach, particularly focusing on key constituencies where they fell short, in preparation for the upcoming general elections.
Parts of Britain are grappling with enormous poverty implications which unfortunately did not receive due consideration during the elections.
Sinn Féin’s political tactic went awry spectacularly in Dublin. In Donaghmede, the triumphant candidate was Fine Gael’s Tom Brabazon, while Sinn Féin’s Mícheál MacDonncha secured a last-minute victory, receiving a marginal 7.3 per cent of the preliminary vote preference. The party’s two other candidates failed to make a mark, obtaining a mere 4.7 per cent and 4.9 per cent of the primary vote preference.
Further losses for Sinn Féin emerged across Clontarf, with neither of the two party candidates achieving success. In the North Inner City, Janice Boylan won on the 12th count with a mere 843 votes, while the two other party candidates received between 2.7 per cent and 2.9 per cent of the first preference votes.
The South East Inner City saw Kenny Courtney attain a minor victory in the ninth count with 498 votes, but the other two candidates for Sinn Féin had no success. Pembroke did not elect any Sinn Féin council member, and the only Sinn Féin candidate, Martin Robert, gained only 383 votes. In Kimmage-Rathmines, neither of the two candidates representing Sinn Féin received favourable results.
The home territory of the party leader, Mary Lou McDonald, witnessed an upsetting trend as Fine Gael received more votes than Sinn Féin in Cabra-Glasnevin. This would be particularly embarrassing for the party.
Francis Timmons, an Independent, secured the highest number of votes in Clondalkin, where four candidates were contesting for seven positions, surpassing even People Before Profit’s Darragh Adelaide. In Palmerstown-Fonthill, where five seats saw four candidates in the race, Fianna Fáil’s Shane Moynihan drew a significant portion of the first preference vote at 13.9 per cent, closely trailed by Independent Alan Hayes.
Over in Tallaght South, the trailblazer was Independent Patrick Pearse Holohan, who led the poll having received 21.8 per cent of the primary preferences for the five available seats, outpacing Fine Gael’s Baby Pereppadan who was voted in on the second round with 1,172 votes.
Sinn Féin’s aspiration to expand their seats on the South Dublin County Council from a meagre four to an unprecedented 21 never wavered, but this goal seems increasingly out of reach. The party had notable success in Dublin Mid-West, reflected in the previous general election when they clinched two places, backed by Eoin Ó Broin.
The party’s strategy for the general election had included the potential roll-out of three candidates in certain constituencies, a plan which may or may not be revised following the analysis of the local election outcomes.
High expectations were shattered in Tipperary. Despite fielding 11 candidates, Sinn Féin secured only two seats, a decrease from their earlier three seats – a bitter pill considering several candidates returned disappointing poll results.
Final voting results from a significant number of constituencies were not available as of Sunday night, however, the trend so far seems remarkably consistent, barring some exceptional cases. Sinn Féin’s daring move to put forward their largest ever group of candidates in Monaghan was rewarded with eight successful seats. In Cavan, the party regained their lost position from 2019 with the re-election of councillor Damien Brady.
There was also some success for the party in Co Offaly, recuperating from their 2019 debacle, with the victory of newcomer Aoife Masterson in Tullamore during the fourth round.