First count Galway East

Dolan tops the poll

MONIVEA’S Albert Dolan is well on his way to becoming one of the new faces sitting in the next Dáil.

The Fianna Fáil councillor secured a whopping 10,140 votes in the first count and topped the poll, just announced for Galway East at the count centre in Presentation College, Headford.

The seat of Independent TD Seán Canney is also firmly secure as he picked up 10,030 first preference votes and is firmly on track to being re-elected.

The other two seats in the expanded constituency aren’t so clear cut. Sinn Féin’s Louis O’Hara has improved on his 2020 vote with 7,459 but while he is favoured to take a seat, his challenge will be to secure sufficient transfers.

Fine Gael’s Pete Roche from Abbeyknockmoy and Williamstown Cllr Declan Geraghty (Ind Ireland) are very close.

Outgoing Fianna Fáil Minister of State Anne Rabbitte is in jeopardy of losing her seat, but again, transfers in upcoming counts will prove key.

See full results of First Count below

Electorate: 87,791

Total poll:54,576

Invalid votes: 362

Total valid poll: 54,214

Quota: 10,843

Conor Burke (PBPS) 1,238

Sean Canney (IND) 10,030

Albert Dolan (FF) 10,140

Declan Geraghty (IND IRL) 5,150

Clodagh Higgins (FG) 3,458

Fergal Landy (IND) 385

Eoin Madden (Green) 1,263

Niamh Madden (FG) 2,765

Paul Madden (IND) 585

Louis O’Hara (SF) 7,459

David O’Reilly (IRP) 610

Anne Rabbitte (FF) 4,056

Peter Roche (FG) 5,521

Luke Silke (Aontú) 1,554

Eliminated: Landy