‘Ming’ tops the poll in first count for Midlands North-West constituency

Castlerea native Luke 'Ming' Flanagan looks set to return to Brussels after topping the poll in the first count in the Midlands North-West constituency earlier tonight.

The poll also shows that Ballyleague’s Ciaran Mullooly, running for Independent Ireland, has polled well with 57,297 votes and is being tipped to take the fifth seat.

At the count centre in Castlebar ‘Ming” recorded 78,214 first preference votes.

Meanwhile, just 20 votes separate Barry Cowen (FF) and Nina Carberry (FG), who has outpolled Maria Walsh (FG). The votes there are 73,908, 73,888 and 71, 476 respectively.

While there are still days to go in this count, the speculation is that the seats will be filled by ‘Ming’, Cowen, Carberry, Walsh and Mullooly with sitting MEP Chris McManus of Sinn Fein likely to lose out after polling 29,427 first preference votes.

The quota in this five seat constituency is 113, 325.