The big headline makers in this year’s Local Elections
The big headline makers from the 2024 Roscommon Local Elections.
The 2024 Roscommon Local Elections at the Hyde Centre in Roscommon Town was certainly not short on drama last weekend, and below were some of the big headline makers.
The Fine Gael duo looked well out of contention for long stages in their respective election battles in the Athlone and Boyle Local Election Areas.
Both, however, delivered Lazarus type performances in high drama finishes to ensure Fine Gael doubled its seats on Roscommon County Council. (See more on Connolly’s victory in the Athlone LEA further down).
Callaghan’s win came in the tenth count in the Boyle LEA, and he will certainly be thankful for the support from his running mate, Dympna Daly Finn.
After a recount and her elimination in the ninth count, the Arigna woman’s transfers helped the Tulsk man retain his seat.
Apart from Domnick Connolly, credit must go to the performances of the other new faces who will sit on the next council - Leah Cull (SF), Micheal Frain (IND) and Sean Moylan (FF) in the Boyle Electoral Area along with Larry Brennan (FF) and Gareth Scahill (FG) in the Roscommon LEA.
A stunning performance from the 24-year-old Ballyforan woman, who stormed to victory after the first count. She topped the poll in the Athlone Electoral Area with 1,946 votes, far exceeding the quota of 1,403.
The Independent candidate was only co-opted on to the council in May 2021.
Another noteworthy electoral display from a young female candidate.
Leah Cull of Sinn Fein was elected on the fifth count in the Boyle Electoral Area, helped by a very impressive first preference vote of 1,416.
The 28-year-old Arigna ensured that her party's seat was retained in North Roscommon.
The notable display from the Fine Gael newcomer deserves a worthy mention.
She was in contention for a seat in the Boyle LEA until the very end.
One of the youngest candidates in the country, 18-year-old Sinn Fein candidate Brooks was devastated following the results of the tenth and final count in the Athlone Electoral Area.
He was in the box seat for a long time to win the final and sixth seat, but was pipped at the death in the early hours of Monday morning by the renaissance of Fine Gael candidate, Domnick Connolly.
The Fuerty man looked a beaten docket for much of the weekend before benefitting from geography in the ninth count when the votes of eliminated Fianna Fail candidate James Murray from Athleague pushed his neighbour across the line.
The young Taughmaconnell first time candidate looked crestfallen when the final results came in but he can be very proud of his efforts, which caught the imagination of many people.
Emer Kelly (IND), and long serving councillors Valerie Byrne (IND) and Paschal Fitzmaurice (FF) particularly caught the eye with their barnstorming vote-getting performances.
The above is certainly not an exhaustive list of the headline makers, and all candidates, - both succesful and unsuccessful - should be commended for showing the courage to put their names on the ballot paper. That is certainly no easy task.
Finally, a big vote of congratulations must be extended to Returning Officer Caitlin Conneely (Local Elections) and Olivia Bushell (European Elections) along with all the council staff.
The counts, including one recount, ran very smoothly, and the hospitality shown to the media present was second to none!
