Dark horse gallops forth in Ballyduff

37% of boxes opened at count centre in Cavan

The latest tallies from the Ballyjamesduff Municipal District where 37% of the boxes have been opened put Cllr Shane P O'Reilly in the lead with 27.9% of the vote - or 1,165 votes. Hot on his heels is Fine Gael's Trevor Smith on 15.6% and TP O’Reilly on 15.7; Lester Gordon (Shamrock Independents) on 8.2%; followed by Sinn Féin's Noel Connell on 7%.

Cllr Philip Brady (FF) remains close behind on 6.7% while Sinn Féin's Angela Gaffney currently has 6.1% of the vote with Nathan Galligan (FF) just behind her on 5.9% and Aontú’s Grainne McPhilips on 5%.

But all the boxes need to be opened before a clear picture emerges, says Cllr Trevor Smith who is currently polling in third position in this electoral area. “Shortly 50% of boxes will be opened and then a picture will begin to emerge but we really need to wait until all the boxes are open to establish what will happen,” he continued.

“Candidates will have done well in their homes boxes but it is the votes away from home that are important too. It’s too early yet to predict anything but absolutely, some sitting councillors are looking good.”

Meanwhile, Lester Gordon (Shamrock Independents) has really come into the race over the last few hours. He is polling well and appears to be picking up votes across the Electoral Area - not just in his home base of Finea/Kilnaleck. He told the Anglo Celt earlier that he is new to all this and while he doesn't really understand it, “I have three men in there for me and like everybody else, I’m just trying.”

Lester went on to say that he is well known in his area particularly in transport and farming circles. His reason for entering the local political arena in the first instance “is to help people” but he added: “The outcome today will be down to the fact that the people went out and voted and that's what’s important.”

Aontú’s Grainne McPhilips currently has 5% of the votes in the Ballyjamesduff EA and is concerned at this point that a proportion of them migrated to Lester during polling yesterday. She is also anxious to see more boxes opened before forming any opinions on the outcome. “We will see how it all goes from there,” she continued before adding that an interesting picture may present itself because of the increased number of candidates running.

McPhilips failed to secure a seat in the EA in 2019. “You can see from the tallies that people are voting 1, 2 and 3 and I am placed behind some of those candidates and I may have been a 1 or a 2 otherside. But shur, that’s the way politics goes. We will all have a better idea of the outcome when all the boxes are opened.”