SLIGO-LEITRIM: FF poised to be biggest winners, though no one elected yet
Damian McCarney & Sean McMahon
At Sligo’s Clarion Hotel
As a succession of quick-fire counts saw independents fall by the wayside in Sligo-Leitrim, and yet no candidate near the quota of 12,468, we will not have our first TD elected until tomorrow, at the earliest.
With Marc MacSharry the frontrunner still only on 9,036, and no prospect of anyone being elected tonight the count was adjourned until 9am on Sunday.
He may look home and hosed after four counts, but MacSharry was refusing to take it for granted that he would be elected despite claiming a whopping 8,856 of first preference votes. Flanked by family members entering the count centre in Sligo's Clarion Hotel, including his father Ray, the Fianna Fáil man told the Celt's Sean McMahon he was delighted by his haul of first preference votes but refused to consider himself elected.
'Well I certainly wouldn't be counting any chickens. I'm totally humbled by the first preference vote that I've received.'
He said he was impressed by the vote of his running mates Eamon Scanlon who has 5,961 (1st pref 5,874) and Paddy O'Rourke, who scooped 5,511 (1st pref 5,447) despite entering the race with just 26 days to canvass. After four counts in which Independents Eamon Murray and Bernard Sweeney were eliminated, followed by Leslie O’Hora (Greens), and lastly Finbarr Filan (ReNua) the Fianna Fáil team have made incremental steps towards the quota of 12,468.
'I think we have a fighting chance of two seats here,' said MacSharry.
He added that the northwest has been neglected by successive governments.
He further said that Fianna Fáil's good showing in this election nationally was down to hard learned lessons last time out.
'I think for the last five years Fianna Fáil have tried very much to realise their true role as a pliable organisation moulded by the views of the people and pursuing policies that they deserve, and they wish for.
Meanwhile Fine Gael are in line for at least one seat with Ballinamore’s Gerry Reynolds leading the way for the party with 6,797 (1st pref 6,672) followed by Tony McLoughlin 6,338 (1st pref 6,172). John Perry will be the most concerned of the Fine Gael candidates having amassed just 4,403 first preference votes and has edged up to 4,466 with transfers.
Sinn Féin’s Martin Kenny is in a decent position to contest a seat, having accumulated 6,473 (1st pref 6,356) votes after four counts, and he will be eyeing up transfers much later on from his running mate, Chris MacManus who has 4,837 votes (1st pref 4,747).
Educated guessers in the Sligo count centre are whispering predictions that Fianna Fáil will be hopeful to get MacSharry and O’Rourke in, while Fine Gael look set to get at Gerry Reynolds elected and Martin Kenny will be very unlucky to not claim a seat for Sinn Féin, but if he doesn’t it will be down to Fine Gael’s Tony McLaughlin.
Returning officer Padraig O'Grady
SLIGO LEITRIM FIRST COUNT
Bree (NP) 325
Casserly (IA) 2726
Filan (RENUA) 881
Gallagher (PBPA) 1,768
Guckian (NP) 1060
Kenny (SF) 6356
MacManus (SF) 4747
MacSharry (FF) 8856
Eamon Murray (NP) 356 (excl)
O’Hara (NP) 1206
O’Hora (GP) 603
O’Keefe (Lab) 1829
O’Rourke (FF) 5447
Perry (FG) 4403
Reynolds (FG) 6672
Scanlon (FF) 5874
Sweeney (NP) 129 (excl)
Electorate 95,911
Total vote 62335
Spolit 560
SLIGO LEITRIM SECOND COUNT
The redistribution of Murray and Sweeney’s votes:
Bree (NP) 3282 (+32)
Casserly (IA) 2763 (+37)
Filan (RENUA) 887 (+6)
Gallagher (PBPA) 1,803(+35)
Guckian (NP) 1098 (+38)
Kenny (SF) 6419 (+63)
MacManus (SF) 4786 (+39)
MacSharry (FF) 8874 (+18)
Tony McLoughlin 6204 (+32)
Eamon Murray (NP) 356 (excl)
O’Hara (NP) 1242 (+36)
O’Hora (GP) 619 (excl)
O’Keefe (Lab) 1843(+14)
O’Rourke (FF) 5474 (+27)
Perry (FG) 4413 (+10)
Reynolds (FG) 6702 (+30)
Scanlon (FF) 5899 (+25)
Sweeney (NP) 129 (excl)
Non transferable 27
SLIGO-LEITRIM: Third count:
Distribution of O'Hora's 619 votes...
22 not transferable
Bree (NP) 3347 (+65)
Casserly (IA) 22823 (+60)
Filan (RENUA) 913 (+26) EXCLUDED
Gallagher (PBPA) 1,890 (+87)
Guckian (NP) 1118 (+20)
Kenny (SF) 6439 (+20)
MacManus (SF) 4809 (+23)
MacSharry (FF) 8893 (+19)
Tony McLoughlin 6237 (+33)
Eamon Murray (NP) EXCL
O’Hara (NP) 1265 (+23)
O’Hora (GP) EXCL
O’Keefe (Lab) 1986 (+143)
O’Rourke (FF) 5486 (+12)
Perry (FG) 4431 (+18)
Reynolds (FG) 6742 (+40)
Scanlon (FF) 5907 (+8)
Sweeney (NP) EXCL
Eamon Murray has been excluded and his votes will be redistributed.
SLIGO LEITRIM FOURTH COUNT
Bree (NP) 3359 (+52)
Casserly (IA) 2945 (+122)
Filan (RENUA) EXCL
Gallagher (PBPA) 1,950 (+60)
Guckian (NP) 1154 (+36)
Kenny (SF) 6473 (+34)
MacManus (SF) 4837 (+28)
MacSharry (FF) 9036 (+143)
Tony McLoughlin 6338 (+101)
Eamon Murray (NP) EXCL
O’Hara (NP) 1344 (+79)
O’Hora (GP) EXCL
O’Keefe (Lab) 2036 (+50)
O’Rourke (FF) 5511 (+25)
Perry (FG) 4466 (+35)
Reynolds (FG) 6797 (+55)
Scanlon (FF) 5961 (+54)
Sweeney (NP) EXCL