Politics

Galway City Council: Green Party take two seats as six new councillors elected

Fine Gael’s Eddie Hoare took seat following recount that lasted more than 10 hours

John Fallon
Fri May 31 2019 - 11:14

The Green Party secured two seats on Galway City Council after Martina O’Connor secured the 18th and final slot after a marathon recount on Monday night.

She joins fellow newcomer Pauline O’Reilly in the new council. Six of the 18 councillors have been elected for the first time. Another newcomer, Fine Gael’s Eddie Hoare, took the third seat in Galway City Central following a recount that lasted more than 10 hours. John McDonagh, who was hoping to hold on to the Labour seat held by the retiring Billy Cameron, called for a recount as he was about to be eliminated when finishing eight votes adrift of Martina O’Connor of the Green Party in the ninth count.

The recount finally ended just before 9pm and found that John McDonagh and Martina O’Connor were level on 768 votes each. The two candidates and others in the running had legal representatives on site as the recount was scrutinised throughout the day. John McDonagh was eliminated as Martina O’Connor had 544 first preference votes to 527 for the Labour Party candidate.

Independent Mike Cubbard and Fianna Fail’s Ollie Crowe were elected on Sunday and after Eddie Hoare was successful, the final count resulted in Sharon Nolan of the Social Democrats being eliminated and Frank Fahy (FG), Colette Connolly (Ind.) and Martina O’Connor deemed elected without reaching the quota. Five outgoing members failed to be re-elected including all three Sinn Fein members Mairead Farrell, Cathal Ó Conchúir and Mark Lohan, while Fine Gael’s John Walsh and Pearce Flannery were also unsuccessful.

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The new Galway City Council will have six independents, five Fianna Fail, three Fine Gael, two Green Party and one each from Labour and Social Democrats. The six new councillors are Alan Cheevers of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael’s Eddie Hoare and Clodagh Higgins, Owen Hanley of Social Democrats, and Green Party’s Pauline O’Reilly and Martina O’Connor.

(First preference votes: candidates elected in bold)

Galway City Central: 6 seats

Mike Cubbard (Ind) - 1,292 (elected on count 1)
Ollie Crowe (Fianna Fáil) - 1,008 (elected on count 7)
Eddie Hoare (Fine Gael) - 854 (elected on count 10)
Frank Fahy (Fine Gael) - 694 (elected on count 11)
Martina O'Connor (Green Party) - 544 (elected on count 11)
Colette Connolly (Ind) - 493 (elected on count 11)
John McDonagh (Labour Party) - 527
Sharon Nolan (Social Dems) - 515
Imelda Byrne (Fianna Fáil) - 490
Cormac Ó Corcoráin (Aontú) - 429
Joe Loughnane (Solidarity-PBP) - 377
Mark Lohan (Sinn Féin)- 328
Mike Geraghty (Independent) - 243
James O'Toole (Ind) - 124
Daragh O'Flaherty (Ind) - 83
Patrick Feeney (Ind) - 1

Galway City East: 6 seats

Declan McDonnell (Ind) - 1,090 (elected on count 1)
Terry O'Flaherty (Ind) - 937 (elected on count 8)
Alan Cheevers (Fianna Fáil) - 961 (elected on count 10)
Michael John Crowe (Fianna Fáil) - 755 (elected on count 14)
Owen Hanley (Social Dems) - 413 (elected on count 14)
Noel Larkin (Ind) - 675 (elected on count 14)
Mairéad Farrell (Sinn Féin) - 522
John Walsh (Fine Gael) - 456
Claire Hillery (Green Party) - 382
Neil O'Mahony (Renua Ireland) - 225
Donal Lynch (Fine Gael) - 216
Conor Burke (Solidarity-PBP) - 203
Liam Boyle (Labour Party) - 183
Michael Tully (Ind) - 182
Nuala Nolan (Aontú) - 145
Pat Hardiman (Ind) - 65

Galway City West: 6 seats

Pauline O'Reilly (Green Party) –1,304 (elected on count 1)
Donal Lyons (Ind) – 1,463 (elected on count 1)
Níall McNelis (Labour Party) – 941(elected on count 8)
John Connolly (Fianna Fáil) – 734 (elected on count 9)
Clodagh Higgins (Fine Gael) – 811 (elected on count 9)
Peter Keane (Fianna Fáil) – 900 (elected on count 9)
Pearce Flannery (Fine Gael) – 721
John Crowley (Social Dems) – 491
Cathal Ó Conchúir (Sinn Féin) –422
Marian Maloney (Ind) - 183
Tommy Roddy (Ind) – 137
Marc Anderson (Ind) – 91
Darius Ivan (Ind) – 30
Claire Keegan (Ind) – 30
Patrick Feeney (Ind) –15