THE CLARE ECHO is live from Treacy’s West County Hotel with counting underway to determine who the county has elected as its four TDs to serve in the 34th Dáil.
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12:25 – “Ah Deputy, you’ve done very well, congratulations,” Cllr David Griffin (FF) greets Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF) as he arrives at the #GE24 count centre in Clare.
12:23 – We’re heading over to join Scariff Bay Community Radio to give an update on air.
12:21 – 45% of boxes tallied:
Timmy Dooley (FF) 5307
Joe Cooney (FG) 3821
Donna McGettigan (SF) 2704
Cathal Crowe (FF) 2224
Leonora Carey (FG) 1968
Roisin Garvey (GP) 1508
Rita McInerney (FF) 1757
Tom Nolan (FG) 1162
Hilary Tonge (SD) 876
Eddie Punch (II) 863
June Dillon (AON) 820
Michael Leahy (IFP) 488
Kevin Hassett (IND) 421
Catriona Ni Chatháin (SOC) 373
Matthew Moroney (IND) 316
Paddy Murphy (IND) 147
Violet-Anne Wynne (IND) 139
Amanda Major (IND) 0.30%
Barry O’Donovan (RAB) 0.27%
Michael Loughrey (IP) 0.15%
12:14 – “Hit the big fella at the start. Oh I’d say it was worth 1000 votes to him,” Ronan Daly (FF) son of former Clare TD Brendan Daly (FF) references tricky questions put to Senator Timmy Dooley (FF) on The Electoral Chair: Election Debate.
12:06 – “At the moment you would think Joe Cooney and Timmy Dooley will be well ahead, the next two I think will be Donna McGettigan and Cathal Crowe. The question is how the big the gap will be to the fifth candidate. The indications are Leonora Carey will be very close to those two, it depends on how she performs in South East Clare and Shannon which is largely out at the moment. Roisin Garvey is near to her but it is hard to see anyone else coming out from the rest,” observes former Clare TD, Tony Killeen (FF) to The Clare Echo.
12:04 – 39% of boxes tallied:
Timmy Dooley (FF) 4424
Joe Cooney (FG) 3098
Donna McGettigan (SF) 2258
Cathal Crowe (FF) 1903
Leonora Carey (FG) 1747
Roisin Garvey (GP) 1370
Rita McInerney (FF) 1540
Tom Nolan (FG) 1101
Hilary Tonge (SD) 752
Eddie Punch (II) 745
June Dillon (AON) 692
Michael Leahy (IFP) 438
Kevin Hassett (IND) 390
Catriona Ni Chatháin (SOC) 338
Matthew Moroney (IND) 292
Paddy Murphy (IND) 133
Violet-Anne Wynne (IND) 120
Amanda Major (IND) 0.31%
Barry O’Donovan (RAB) 0.27%
Michael Loughrey (IP) 0.16%
11:54 – Of the early tallies, ex county councillor Patricia McCarthy (IND) says “Look at those figures for the first count, if that momentum is maintained, you will have four or five figures punching and transfers will be crucial, you will have Donna McGettigan, Roisin Garvey, Leonora Carey and Rita McInerney in contention”.
11:46 – Tallies from the postal vote.
Timmy Dooley (FF) 99
Cathal Crowe (FF) 84
Leonora Carey (FG) 58
Rita McInerney (FF) 46
Joe Cooney (FG) 45
June Dillon (AON) 44
Donna McGettigan (SF) 34
Tom Nolan (FG) 27
Roisin Garvey (GP) 19
Hilary Tonge (SD) 14
Eddie Punch (II) 10
Catriona Ni Chatháin (SOC) 5
Kevin Hassett (IND) 3
Michael Leahy (IFP) 2
Paddy Murphy (IND) 2
Amanda Major (IND) 1
Matthew Moroney (IND) 1
Barry O’Donovan (RAB) 1
Violet-Anne Wynne (IND) 1
Michael Loughrey (IP) 0
11:39 – “Dooley is back with a bang,” says former Cllr Paul Bugler (FG). He suggests the Senator could get elected on the first count.
11:31 – “I think Joe Cooney and Timmy Dooley will take the first two seats, in what order I don’t know. Cathal Crowe for the third with Leonora Carey and Donna McGettigan in the battle for the fourth seat as figures stand,” – Sean Chambers (FG) tally co-ordinator for Fine Gael.
11:29 – Another Fine Gael tally person points out ‘Donna McGettigan (SF) is getting a lot of first preferences but not many transfers’.
11:24 – Wth 56 of 180 boxes tallied (31%), here’s the breakdown in Clare:
Timmy Dooley (FF) 3740
Joe Cooney (FG) 2861
Donna McGettigan (SF) 1921
Cathal Crowe (FF) 1515
Rita McInerney (FF) 1230
Leonora Carey (FG) 1198
Roisin Garvey (GP) 1092
Tom Nolan (FG) 817
Hilary Tonge (SD) 626
Eddie Punch (II) 625
June Dillon (AON) 564
Michael Leahy (IFP) 360
Kevin Hassett (IND) 294
Catriona Ni Chatháin (SOC) 293
Matthew Moroney (IND) 284
Paddy Murphy (IND) 117
Violet-Anne Wynne (IND) 96
Amanda Major (IND) 59
Barry O’Donovan (RAB) 37
Michael Loughrey (IP) 32
11:20 – Observation from one Fine Gael tally woman, Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF) not picking up too many transfers and Senator Timmy Dooley’s (FF) transfers won’t show too much of a benefit for Cathal Crowe TD (FF).
11:19 – Eddie Punch (II) is the second candidate to have arrived in the count centre.
11:08 – “There’s 40 boxes to be opened, it’s still early to call but the front runners are looking like they will do well but the transfers will decide it all,” says former Mayor of Clare, Patricia McCarthy (IND).
10:55 – “There’s feasibly six candidates in the race with Timmy Dooley and Joe Cooney currently looking good for seats. A strong performance by Donna McGettigan & Cathal Crowe. Rita McInerney & Leonora Carey also in contention,” says PR guru Mark Dunphy.
10:48 – “Too close to call,” says Aidan White (FF) on who is going to prevail in Clare.
10:45 -“My prediction is two Fianna Fáil, one Fine Gael, and one Sinn Féin, not expecting any major political upset at this stage. The Shannon boxes haven’t been opened so far so Donna will romp ahead once they are opened. It is an interesting one and in line with the exit polls we saw last night,” observes Cllr Mary Howard (FG) to The Clare Echo.
10:40 – 37 of 180 boxes tallied.
10:28 – O’Callaghans Mills tally:
Joe Cooney (FG) 269
Timmy Dooley (FF) 29
Eddie Punch (II) 15
Donna McGettigan (SF) 10
Cathal Crowe (FF) 9
June Dillon (AON) 7
Roisin Garvey (GP) 6
Catriona Ni Chatháin (SOC) 6
Matthew Moroney (IND) 5
Hilary Tonge (SD) 4
Leonora Carey (FG) 3
Rita McInerney (FF) 3
Michael Leahy (IFP) 3
Barry O’Donovan (RAB) 2
Paddy Murphy (IND) 1
Kevin Hassett (IND) 0
Michael Loughrey (IP) 0
Amanda Major (IND) 0
Tom Nolan (FG) 0
Violet-Anne Wynne (IND) 0
10:22 – Early projections suggesting Senator Timmy Dooley (FF) is the most likely poll-topper in Clare while Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF) also polling very well countywide.
10:18 – Feakle tally:
Joe Cooney (FG) 212
Timmy Dooley (FF) 122
Donna McGettigan (SF) 53
Roisin Garvey (GP) 31
Hilary Tonge (SD) 24
Eddie Punch (II) 17
Catriona Ni Chatháin (SOC) 14
June Dillon (AON) 11
Matthew Moroney (IND) 10
Leonora Carey (FG) 5
Cathal Crowe (FF) 5
Michael Leahy (IFP) 4
Amanda Major (IND) 4
Paddy Murphy (IND) 3
Barry O’Donovan (RAB) 3
Violet-Anne Wynne (IND) 3
Kevin Hassett (IND) 0
Michael Loughrey (IP) 0
Rita McInerney (FF) 0
Tom Nolan (FG) 0
10:11 – Bodyke Tally:
Joe Cooney (FG) 229
Timmy Dooley (FF) 43
Hilary Tonge (SD) 13
Leonora Carey (FG) 11
June Dillon (AON) 11
Cathal Crowe (FF) 10
Roisin Garvey (GP) 8
Catriona Ni Chatháin (SOC) 8
Donna McGettigan (SF) 6
Matthew Moroney (IND) 6
Eddie Punch (II) 5
Violet-Anne Wynne (IND) 2
Michael Leahy (IFP) 1
Michael Loughrey (IP) 1
Rita McInerney (FF) 1
Barry O’Donovan (RAB) 1
Kevin Hassett (IND) 0
Amanda Major (IND) 0
Paddy Murphy (IND) 0
Tom Nolan (FG) 0
10:05 – Annaghneal Community Centre tally:
Joe Cooney (FG) 113
Timmy Dooley (FF) 44
Cathal Crowe (FF) 10
Roisin Garvey (GP) 6
Eddie Punch (II) 5
Leonora Carey (FG) 4
Donna McGettigan (SF) 4
Catriona Ni Chatháin (SOC) 4
Hilary Tonge (SD) 4
Michael Leahy (IFP) 3
June Dillon (AON) 2
Rita McInerney (FF) 1
Paddy Murphy (IND) 1
Violet-Anne Wynne (IND) 1
Matthew Moroney (IND) 0
Kevin Hassett (IND) 0
Michael Loughrey (IP) 0
Amanda Major (IND) 0
Tom Nolan (FG) 0
Barry O’Donovan (RAB) 0
09:53 – One box from Kilmaley tally:
Timmy Dooley (FF) 84
Donna McGettigan (SF) 46
Leonora Carey (FG) 27
Cathal Crowe (FF) 27
Joe Cooney (FG) 18
Rita McInerney (FF) 17
Michael Leahy (IFP) 10
Eddie Punch (II) 9
Roisin Garvey (GP) 8
Hilary Tonge (SD) 7
Kevin Hassett (IND) 6
Catriona Ni Chatháin (SOC) 4
Tom Nolan (FG) 4
Matthew Moroney (IND) 3
June Dillon (AON) 2
Violet-Anne Wynne (IND) 2
Michael Loughrey (IP) 1
Amanda Major (IND) 1
Paddy Murphy (IND) 1
Barry O’Donovan (RAB) 1
09:46 – One Lisdoonvarna box tallied:
Timmy Dooley (FF) 57
Cathal Crowe (FF) 29
Joe Cooney (FG) 26
Donna McGettigan (SF) 24
Roisin Garvey (GP) 19
Leonora Carey (FG) 15
Eddie Punch (II) 12
Rita McInerney (FF) 9
June Dillon (AON) 8
Michael Leahy (IFP) 6
Hilary Tonge (SD) 6
Kevin Hassett (IND) 3
Paddy Murphy (IND) 3
Tom Nolan (FG) 3
Catriona Ni Chatháin (SOC) 2
Violet-Anne Wynne (IND) 2
Amanda Major (IND) 1
Matthew Moroney (IND) 1
Michael Loughrey (IP) 0
Barry O’Donovan (RAB) 0
09:30 – Observations from one Fianna Fáil stalwart, “from what I’ve seen Cathal Crowe is nowhere and Donna McGettigan is flying it”.
09:29 – Senator Timmy Dooley (FF) the early leader from tallies for The Holy Family in Ennis.
09:28 – Polling well in the initial tallies for Drumbiggle in Ennis is Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF).
09:24 – Tulla appears to be evenly split from the early stages between Senator Dooley and Cllr Cooney.
09:23 – In his native O’Callaghans Mills, Cllr Joe Coney (FG) is well out on top.
09:22 – Top three as per Whitegate initial tally, Cllr Joe Cooney (FG), Senator Timmy Dooley (FF) and Senator Roisin Garvey (GP).
09:20 – As per the Bodyke tally, Cllr Joe Cooney (FG) is the clear leader.
09:18 – In Ogonnelloe, both Cllr Joe Cooney (FG) and Senator Timmy Dooley (FF) are leading the way.
09:15 – Top three from the early stages of the Flagmount tally are Senator Timmy Dooley (FF), Cllr Joe Cooney (FG) and Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF).
09:12 – From the Ennis CBS tallies, Senator Timmy Dooley (FF), Cathal Crowe TD (FF) and Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF) polling well.
09:09 – Early tallies have Cllr Joe Cooney (FG) doing very well in Killaloe.
08:59 – Donna’s former colleague in the Shannon Municipal District, former county councillor Gerry Flynn (IND) is among those keeping an eye on the counting.
08:58 – First candidate to arrive is Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF).
08:54 – “Have your passes in your hands,” tells Sean Chambers (FG) as the tally men and women enter the arena.
08:51 – There are a total of 58 counters on duty. Expected that between them, they will be working on six boxes between them all.
08:45 – Counters have assembled into their position. Tally men and women will be let into the count centre from 09:00.
08:42 – Counting staff have been divided into their pairs and are almost set to assume their positions.
08:38 – Returning Officer Rita Considine has addressed counting staff in Treacy’s West County Hotel.
08:30 – Good morning from Treacy’s West County Hotel. Páraic McMahon with you for the next two days as counting commences to find out what way Clare voted.
