Youngest Councillor now a poll-topper too
The youngest member of Galway County Council has topped the poll in Athenry/Oranmore this time around.
Fianna Fáil Councillor Albert Dolan, an accountant from Monivea, was first past the post in the seven-seat constituency when the first count was announced long after darkness descended on Galway Lawn Tennis Club in Salthill with a quota-and-a-half under his belt.
First timer, engineer Tomás Grealish, brother of TD Noel Grealish who lives in Carnmore, was elected also on the first count, with 1,843 first preferences.
Last time around when he was just 20, he took the second seat after Independent Cllr James Charity from Corrandulla.
There will be a battle for the remaining five seats, with not much between Cllrs David Collins and Charity, pulling 1,586 and 1,565 number ones respectively.
Former Fine Gael councillor Peter Feeney currently sits in fifth position, with party colleague Eoghan Gallagher and Sinn Féin’s Louis O’Hara all above the 1,000 mark.
Fianna Fáil Cllr Shelly Herterich Quinn pulled in just 792 first preferences so she will be competing with fellow FF candidate Cillian Keane, who pulled 937 votes, for transfers from Cllr Dolan.
Caption: Poll-topper Albert Dolan chats with Junior Minister Anne Rabbitte at the count centre in Galway Lawn Tennis Club.
Athenry-Oranmore
Seven seats
Electorate: 26,073
Total poll: 13,877
Spoiled votes: 135
Total valid poll: 13,742
Quota: 1,718
Count 1
*Dolan, Albert (FF) 2,393 Elected (+675)
*Grealish, Tomas (Non-party) Elected 1,893 (+125)
Collins, David (FG) 1,586
Charity, James (Non-party) 1,565
Feeney, Peter (FG) 1,213
Gallagher, Eoghan (FG) 1,018
O’Hara, Louis (SF) 1,005
Keane, Cillian (FF) 937
Herterich-Quinn, Shelly (FF) 792
Madden, Eoin (Green) 454
Landy, Fergal (Lab) 409
Hehir, Seán (IndI) 301
Carr, Maria (TIP) 226
Keep up to date on the local elections with www.connachttribune.ie and get full analysis in this Thursday's paper.