Western People Mayo Local Election 2024 Liveblog - Day Two
The scene from the TF, Castlebar, this Sunday evening.
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A close-run Westport count has been finalised with John O'Malley (IND) - 1715; and Brendan Mulroy (FF) - 1637 taking the final two seats in the four-seat constituency.
Christy Hyland (IND) was desperately unlucky to lose out following the transfer of Peter Flynn's surplus. Hyland finished just 50 votes behind Mulroy.
Chris Maxwell (II) was elected on the first count with Peter Flynn surpassing the quota on count four.
Results of the fourth count in Westport...
Distribution of Keogh’s votes
Flynn (+556)…2256
Hyland (+225)…1588
Mulroy (+217)…1637
O’Malley (+190)…1715
Flynn elected.
Fine Gael's Peter Flynn becomes the second candidate elected in Westport.
The outgoing candidate received 556 transfers from party colleague Keira Keogh which saw him soar past the quota with 2,226 votes.
It is expected that Flynn's transfers could decide the final two seats in the next count.
Distribution of Maxwell’s surplus
Flynn (+6)…1700
Hyland (+20)…1363
Keogh (+8)…1290
Mulroy (+10)…1420
O’Malley (+30)…1525
Keogh eliminated.
Fine Gael's Keira Keogh has been eliminated on the third count in Westport. Her 1,290 vote distribution could decide the election or the gap between O'Malley (1,525); Mulroy (1,420); and Hyland (1,363). Peter Flynn (,1700) is 165 short of the quota.
Independent Ireland candidate Chris Maxwell became the first candidate elected in Westport on the second count.
The Louisburgh man's poll-topping performance has been one of the stories of the elections. He secured 146 transfers from eliminated candidates Niall McCormack, Peter Nolan, and Karen Gallagher to exceed the 1,865 quota.
Fine Gael's Peter Flynn is poised to capture the second seat and is on 1,694 votes. Things get much tighter after that with John O'Malley (IND) on 1495; Brendan Mulroy (FF) 1410; Christy Hyland (IND) 1343 and Keira Keogh (FG) 1343. Don't rule out a recount in this four-seater.
Our apologies folks. The blog went quiet for a while as we awaited the result of the fifth count in Swinford and wow, what a turn of events here in Castlebar.
There is a full recount on the cards with just one vote between Neil Cruise (FG) and John Sheahan (SF), 1,637-1,636.
And if that is not drama enough - John Caulfield (FF) is just four votes in front of Cruise with 1,641. Adrian Forkan also failed to hit the quota and is not awful far ahead either. He is on 1,668 votes.
Read more about this here, where we also have an update on Ballina.
It is getting tense in Swinford. After the fourth count, the distribution of Antoinette Peyton's vote, Adrian Forkan is on 1,664 votes, Neil Cruise is on 1,633, John Sheahan is on 1,611 and John Caulfield is on 1,600. Very tight margins.
Count five will see Gerry Murray's surplus distributed. Murray was elected on the third count. This should bode well for his Sinn Fein running mate Sheahan but with only 74 votes to be distributed, we are well within recount territory in Swinford.
The first count is in for Westport...
Independent Ireland's Chris Maxwell is at the top of the poll with 1,793 votes, just 72 off the quota which is 1,865. Peter Flynn (Fine Gael) is also polling well on 1,559 while Brendan Mulroy (Fianna Fail) is on 1,328 and John O'Malley (IND) is on 1,350. Christy Hyland (IND) is on 1,221 and Keira Keogh (Fine Gael) is on 1,184.
Three have been eliminated following the first count - Sinn Fein's Karen Gallagher (432 votes), Green Party's Peter Nolan (293 votes) and Irish Freedom Party's Niall McCormack (160 votes). Their votes will be distributed accordingly for the second count.
First Westport count should be in the next half an hour or so, hopefully. We'll update you once we receive the information.
The first count is in for Swinford. Gerry Murray (SF) tops the poll with 1,586 votes but falls short of the 1,744 quota. Adrian Forkan (FF) has also polled well with voters, claiming 1,460 first-preference votes.
It will be tight for the remaining seats. John Caulfield (FF) received 1,325 votes, John Sheahan (SF) received 1,308 votes and Neil Cruise (FG) received 1,251 votes.
Mayo's youngest candidate Antoinette Peyton (FG) had a good showing in her first election with 877 votes. It is likely her eventual transfer will benefit Neil Cruise. Aontú's Tommy Horan polled 620 votes.
Count two will see the distribution of the 191 votes of Marion Gordon (TIP) and the 99 votes of Sean Forkin (Ind).
First count awaited in Westport.
No real update here at the TF - we are still waiting on the first counts from Swinford and Westport.
Plenty of action going on down below us for the European count.
Thanks to everybody who has been following the live blog this weekend. Let's get you up to speed with the state of play right now in the TF.
The Swinford count is underway and expected to take some time. The Ballina count will not start until Swinford is complete. First count for Swinford remains awaited.
The Westport count is set to get underway around half 4 and will be a nail biter.
Counting is also underway in the Midlands North West
Claremorris wrapped up around 3.30am in the early hours of this morning with six councillors elected: Patsy O'Brien, Richard Finn, Damien Ryan, Alma Gallagher, Michael Burke and Paul Lawless.
Castlebar finished up around 8.30am this morning having gone through the night. The seven councillors elected are as follows: Michael Kilcoyne, Ger Deere, Al McDonnell, Blackie Gavin, Donna Sheridan and Harry Barrett
Belmullet started at around 10am this morning and wrapped up just after 3pm. Paul McNamara, Gerry Coyle and Sean Carey all retained their seats.
It is now confirmed that Sean Carey (Fianna Fail) has secured the third and final seat of the Belmullet electoral area.
Following his election, Carey told the Western People: "I am very proud and privileged to be re-elected - it is great to get endorsed by the people in the area again."
Fourth count for Belmullet...
Fine Gael Geesala-based councillor Gerry Coyle and Achill-based Fianna Fail councillor Paul McNamara are the first two candidates elected in the Belmullet electoral area.
Their surplus votes will now be distributed with Fianna Fail's Sean Carey in pole position to pick up the third and final seat with 1,643 votes while Rosaleen Dixon-Lally (Sinn Fein) is on 1,389.
Tom Byrne caught up with the two elected councillors, Paul McNamara and Gerry Coyle.
Some national news: Threat of recounts looms over Midlands-North-West
The third count has concluded for the Belmullet electoral area.
Fianna Fail's Paul McNamara (1,765), Fine Gael's Gerry Coyle (1,614) and Fianna Fail's Sean Carey (1,543) are the top three going into the fourth count - quota is 1,837.
Fine Gael's Pat Chambers is eliminated and his votes (1,084) will be distributed accordingly.
The second count has swiftly concluded for the Belmullet electoral area...
Paul McNamara (Fianna Fail) is now 81 off the quota of 1,837 while Fine Gael's Gerry Coyle (1,542) and Fianna Fail's Sean Carey (1,478) are well placed.
John Paul Carey (IND) is the third candidate eliminated with 368 votes.
The first count for the Belmullet electoral area (3 seats) is in...
The first count, 7,346 valid total poll, saw Paul McNamara (Fianna Fail) at the top and not far off the quota of 1,837 with 1,745 votes. Gerry Coyle is also in a good position with 1,519 while Fianna Fail's Sean Carey sits on 1,455. Rosaleen Dixon-Lally (Sinn Fein) is on 1,079, Pat Chambers (Fine Gael) is on 1,052 and John Paul Carey (IND) is on 331.
Green Party's Micheal Boxty O Conaill (117 votes) and Jay Heneghan (IND) - 48 votes - have been eliminated.
Midlands-North West candidate Luke 'Ming' Flanagan (IND) is at the venue while the European counts are ongoing. He is with his daughters Saoirse (left) and Isabelle (right) enjoying some sliced soda bread! - photo by: John O'Grady.
Returning officer, John Condon, has announced that it will be another 30 to 60 minutes before the first count of the Belmullet electoral area takes place.
Hang tight, folks.
One of the areas up for decision today is Swinford LEA. Here is James Laffey’s on the state of play in Swinford based on the tally figures from yesterday. He is predicting a cliff-hanger.
The Belmullet count shouldn't be too long away. The box became difficult to open, but it eventually gave in... see below. (Thanks to John O'Grady for supplying photos over the course of the weekend).
It was a late night and early morning for the Castlebar count. Read all about it
Recap on the election results so far
We'll keep you updated as the day goes on.
The scene from below as the European count also begins this morning.
Good morning on day two of the local elections from the TF, Castlebar. Tom Byrne here coming in for Paul O'Malley and Keith Bourke - fair play to my colleagues for keeping you updated through the night.
The Belmullet count is due to get underway at 10am this morning while the Swinford count is scheduled to start at 2pm.
A recap of all those elected yesterday and in the early hours of this morning will follow in the next while... stay tuned.
