Only the winners are standing when the smoke clears

Date Published: {J}

The smoking ban has a lot to answer for because the thick fug of nicotine used to add to the atmosphere around an election count – but in Leisureland last weekend the air was so pure that, as JFK might have said, on a clear day you could see America.

But the uncontaminated atmosphere cleary didn’t manage to speed up the counting process although that was only bad news for the two or three in the running for the final seat – for the rest of those at the count centre, this was the reason they'd gathered in droves.

And at a time when his Fianna Fail colleagues up and down the country were being wiped out in record numbers, Eamon Ó Cuív bucked the trend with a vengeance by managing to be elected three times.

An impressive performance indeed when the tide is going out - and one not diluted by the feat of debutant Labour Deputy Derek Nolan who matched the outgoing Minister’s feat.

These boys have been in the air longer than an Aer Lingus pilot since Sunday night.

For the rest of us - as the man said - there was that sense of deja vu all over again; like a poor bus timetable, you wait ages for a first count and then two recounts come along in quick succession.

But then if politics is your bloodsport of choice, a false start or two is never enough to dampen your enthusiasm; the early conclusion to events on Sunday evening only served to take the chat from the count centre to the nearest pub.

Not that they needed an instruction from Returning Officer Marian Chambers-Higgins to clear the venue – the licenced premises around Salthill were already enjoying a mini-Connacht Final trade as thirsty tallymen took time out.

The waft of fresh drink hung on more than one breeze and in the cafe, the Galway public enjoyed more muffins than they’ve had at any time since Martha and her friends were at number one in the charts with Echo Beach.

Everywhere you went, "How do you think it will go for the fifth seat?" replaced Howya as a form of greeting, and suddenly everyone was a tallyman.

Old war horses gathered around the parade ring too – Padraic McCormack was an observer at the heart of Fine Gael’s election-within-an-election and Michael D had one eye on a bigger election that could (dammit, should) see him move for five years into a very big house in the Phoenix Park.

For more, read this week's Connacht Tribune.