2019 Galway County Council election

2019 Galway County Council election
← 2014 24 May 2019 2024 →
All 39 seats on Galway County Council
20 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Party Fianna Fáil Fine Gael Sinn Féin
Seats won 15 11 1
Seat change Increase 3 Decrease 1 Decrease 2
  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
 
Party Green Republican Sinn Féin Independent
Seats won 1 1[a] 10
Seat change Increase 1 Steady Decrease 1
Results by local electoral area

An election to all 39 seats on Galway County Council was held on 24 May 2019 as part of the 2019 Irish local elections. County Galway was divided into 7 local electoral areas (LEAs) to elect councillors for a five-year term of office on the electoral system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (PR-STV).

Boundary changes

Following a recommendation of the 2018 Boundary Committee, the boundaries of the LEAs were altered from those used in the 2014 elections. Its terms of reference required no change in the total number of councillors but set a maximum LEA size of seven councillors, which three of the 2014 LEAs exceeded. Other changes were necessitated by population shifts revealed by the 2016 census.[1][2]

Overview

Fianna Fáil had a very good election, winning 3 additional seats and increasing their vote by over 5%. Fine Gael lost a seat to fall to 11 but also increased their vote. The Greens gained 1 seat in Conamara and Republican Sinn Féin retained their single seat. Sinn Féin lost 2 seats to be reduced to just 1 member. However, Gabe Cronelly who had quit the party since 2014 was re-elected as an independent.

Results by party

Party Seats ± 1st pref FPv% ±%
Fianna Fáil 15 Increase3 25,369 32.80 Increase5.40
Fine Gael 11 Decrease1 23,869 30.86 Increase3.26
Sinn Féin 1 Decrease2 3,721 4.81 Decrease2.69
Green 1 Increase1 1,482 1.92 New
Republican Sinn Féin 1[a] Steady 971 1.26 Decrease0.14
Aontú 0 Steady 1,128 1.46 New
Renua 0 Steady 505 0.65 New
Inds. 4 Change 0 Steady 429 0.55 New
Social Democrats 0 Steady 407 0.53 New
Labour 0 Steady 206 0.27 Decrease3.23
Independent 10 Decrease1 19,262 24.90 Decrease4.50
Total 39 Steady 77,349 100.00

Results by local electoral area

^ *: Outgoing councillor elected in 2014.
^ †: Outgoing councillor coopted subsequent to the 2014 election.

Athenry–Oranmore

Athenry–Oranmore: 7 seats[3]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Independent James Charity[*] 14.32% 1,792                  
Fianna Fáil Albert Dolan 13.74% 1,720                  
Independent Jim Cuddy[*] 11.64% 1,457 1,530 1,540 1,630            
Independent Gabe Cronnelly[*] 9.80% 1,226 1,235 1,253 1,280 1,289 1,418 1,512 1,547 1,800  
Fine Gael David Collins 9.29% 1,163 1,182 1,203 1,216 1,219 1,250 1,295 1,413 1,560 1,596
Fine Gael Liam Carroll 7.07% 885 899 904 926 926 956 1,003 1,041 1,186 1,224
Fianna Fáil Michael Hannon 6.02% 753 785 810 820 830 853 864      
Fianna Fáil Shelly Herterich Quinn 5.95% 745 750 788 820 824 853 916 1,141 1,326 1,404
Fine Gael Helen Jennings 5.86% 734 738 749 792 793 842 910 933    
Independent Josette Farrell 5.17% 647 664 667 696 710 750 886 1,105 1,138 1,148
Sinn Féin Louis O'Hara 4.05% 507 519 535 555 556          
Green Kenneth Keavey 3.97% 497 528 532 591 595 679        
Labour Marian Spelman 1.65% 206 213 216              
Renua Amanda McManus 1.46% 183 187 188              
Electorate: 23,796   Valid: 12,515   Spoilt: 202   Quota: 1,565   Turnout: 12,717 (53.44%)  

Ballinasloe

Ballinasloe: 6 seats[4]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Independent Tim Broderick[*] 17.83% 2,362              
Fianna Fáil Michael Connolly[*] 16.36% 2,168              
Fine Gael Peter Keaveney[*] 12.32% 1,632 1,651 1,691 1,698 1,794 1,807 1,831 1,898
Independent Declan Geraghty 11.63% 1,541 1,580 1,626 1,637 1,722 1,741 1,778 1,808
Sinn Féin Dermot Connolly[*] 10.47% 1,387 1,500 1,519 1,603 1,614 1,748 1,932  
Independent Aisling Dolan[b] 8.17% 1,082 1,142 1,160 1,259 1,275 1,422 1,571 1,841
Fine Gael Aidan Donohue[*] 6.38% 845 944 980 1,001 1,022 1,059 1,090 1,352
Fine Gael Michael Finnerty[*] 5.26% 697 720 733 749 752 784 875  
Fianna Fáil Mike Kelly 3.86% 511 536 575 609 693 724    
Social Democrats Ken Campbell 3.07% 407 446 456 496 498      
Independent Harriett Bruce 2.35% 311 344 354          
Fianna Fáil Kenneth O'Brien 2.32% 308 326 369 374        
Electorate: 23,513   Valid: 13,251   Spoilt: 211   Quota: 1,894   Turnout: 13,462 (57.25%)  

Conamara North

Conamara North: 4 seats[5]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5
Independent Thomas Welby[*] 29.42% 2,140        
Fine Gael Eileen Mannion[*] 19.25% 1,400 1,590      
Fianna Fáil Gerry King 18.56% 1,350 1,437 1,464    
Fianna Fáil Seamus Walsh[*] 13.91% 1,012 1,281 1,312 1,363 1,467
Independent Josie Conneely 8.59% 625 668 696 749 984
Sinn Féin Tom Healy[*] 8.02% 583 644 663 705  
Independent Críostóir Breathnach 2.24% 163 198 212    
Electorate: 13,633   Valid: 7,273   Spoilt: 142   Quota: 1,455   Turnout: 7,415 (54.39%)  

Conamara South

Conamara South: 5 seats[6]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4
Fine Gael Padraig Mac An Iomaire 15.71% 1,408 1,472 1,535  
Fianna Fáil Noel Thomas[*] 13.51% 1,211 1,244 1,327 1,515
Fianna Fáil Dáithí Ó Cualáin 13.01% 1,166 1,250 1,324 1,408
Fianna Fáil Máirtín Lee 11.34% 1,016 1,056 1,124 1,207
Green Alastair McKinstry 10.99% 985 1,117 1,216 1,436
Republican Sinn Féin Tomás Ó Curraoin[*][a] 10.84% 971 1,117 1,268 1,396
Fine Gael Ann Flaherty 9.73% 872 904 992  
Fianna Fáil MacDara Hosty 7.57% 678 694    
Sinn Féin Kevin O'Hara 5.68% 509      
Independent Críostóir Breathnach 1.26% 113      
Independent Patrick Feeney 0.36% 32      
Electorate: 18,232   Valid: 8,961   Spoilt: 203   Quota: 1,494   Turnout: 9,164 (50.26%)  

Tomás Ó Curraoin appeared on the ballot as an independent (non-party) but is a member of Republican Sinn Féin and is the sole public representative of that party.

Gort–Kinvara

Gort–Kinvara: 5 seats[7]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Fine Gael Joe Byrne[*] 27.08% 2,751              
Fine Gael P.J. Murphy 15.90% 1,615 1,896            
Fianna Fáil Martina Kinane[*] 14.56% 1,479 1,555 1,569 1,619 1,631 1,680 1,736  
Fianna Fáil Gerry Finnerty[*] 8.05% 818 968 996 1,016 1,141 1,153 1,261 1,354
Fianna Fáil Kevin Fahey 7.99% 812 921 935 960 1,036 1,054 1,162 1,275
Fine Gael Fionn Kiely 5.88% 597 736 820 846 873 940 994  
Independent Geraldine Donohue 5.29% 537 623 642 690 777 909 1,095 1,328
Inds. 4 Change Cormac MacGowan 4.22% 429 461 466 515 546      
Independent Hubert Geoghegan 4.01% 407 481 495 557 616 702    
Independent Declan Diviney 3.84% 390 463 474 501        
Renua Emma O'Connell 3.17% 322 360 374          
Electorate: 17.335   Valid: 10,157   Spoilt: 178   Quota: 1,693   Turnout: 10,335 (59.62%)  

Loughrea

Loughrea: 5 seats[8]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Fine Gael Michael 'Moegie' Maher[*] 20.82% 2,152              
Fine Gael Jimmy McClearn[*] 19.74% 2,041              
Fianna Fáil Shane Curley 15.29% 1,581 1,742            
Fianna Fáil Ivan Canning[†] 15.13% 1,564 1,589 1,747          
Independent Pat Hynes[*][b] 9.17% 948 1,052 1,101 1,105 1,111 1,190 1,339 1,560
Fianna Fáil Pat Flanagan 7.14% 738 814 840 845 853 889 942 1,128
Aontú Joe Campbell 6.39% 661 674 727 736 737 774 847  
Sinn Féin Annemarie Roche 3.21% 332 353 375 378 379 467    
Independent Eoin Madden 3.11% 321 349 358 360 362      
Electorate: 18,729   Valid: 10,338   Spoilt: 165   Quota: 1,724   Turnout: 10,503 (56.08%)  

Tuam

Tuam: 7 seats[9]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Fine Gael Peter Roche[*] 16.36% 2,430            
Fianna Fáil Joe Sheridan 10.39% 1,544 1,588 1,602 1,649 1,726 1,841 1,846
Fianna Fáil Donagh Mark Killilea[*] 10.24% 1,521 1,607 1,636 1,698 1,893    
Fianna Fáil Mary Hoade[*] 9.80% 1,455 1,487 1,492 1,529 1,553 1,840 1,841
Fine Gael Andrew Reddington 9.35% 1,389 1,449 1,454 1,512 1,533 1,689 1,690
Fine Gael Tom McHugh[*] 8.47% 1,258 1,376 1,394 1,442 1,509 1,676 1,680
Fianna Fáil Colm Keaveney 8.21% 1,219 1,271 1,297 1,458 1,630 1,754 1,761
Independent Billy Connelly[†] 7.53% 1,118 1,152 1,165 1,253 1,298    
Independent Karey McHugh[*] 6.25% 929 1,020 1,067 1,242 1,571 1,806 1,824
Independent Shaun Cunniffe[*] 5.80% 862 886 935 1,036      
Aontú Martin Ward 3.14% 467 477 491        
Sinn Féin Stíofán De Lundres Ó Dálaigh 2.71% 403 414 438        
Independent Thomas (T.P.) Niland 1.62% 241 251          
Independent Dermot Ryan 0.12% 18 19          
Electorate: 25,125   Valid: 14,854   Spoilt: 213   Quota: 1,857   Turnout: 15,067 (59.97%)  

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b c Republican Sinn Féin is not a registered party, so its name is not used on ballot papers or in council proceedings.
  2. ^ a b See change below.

Results by gender

2019 Galway County Council election[10][11]
Candidates by gender
Gender Number of
candidates 		% of
candidates 		Elected
councillors 		% of
councillors
Men 63 80.8% 32 82.1%
Women 15 19.2% 7 17.9%
TOTAL 78   39  

Changes

Changes in affiliation

Name LEA Elected as New affiliation Date
Aisling Dolan Ballinasloe Independent Fine Gael November 2019
Declan Geraghty Ballinasloe Independent Independent Ireland February 2024
Declan Kelly Loughrea Independent Independent Ireland March 2024
Noel Thomas Connemara South Fianna Fáil Independent March 2024
Séamus Walsh Connemara North Fianna Fáil Independent March 2024
Noel Thomas Connemara South Independent Independent Ireland April 2024
Séamus Walsh Connemara North Independent Independent Ireland April 2024
Liam Carroll Athenry–Oranmore Fine Gael Independent May 2024[12]

Co-options

Party Outgoing LEA Reason Date Co-optee
Fine Gael Aisling Dolan Ballinasloe Nominated by the Taoiseach to the 26th Seanad June 2020 Evelyn Francis Parsons
Independent Pat Hynes Loughrea Retirement November 2021 Declan Kelly

Sources

  • "Galway County Council - Local Election candidates". RTÉ. 13 May 2019. Archived from the original on 6 June 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
  • "Local Elections 2019: Results, Transfer of Votes and Statistics" (PDF). Government of Ireland. Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (DHPLG). pp. 112–118. Retrieved 10 June 2020.

References

  1. ^ Local Electoral Area Boundary Committee No. 1 Report 2018 (PDF). 13 June 2018. pp. 40–43, 146. ISBN 978-1-4064-2990-9. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 April 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  2. ^ County of Galway Local Electoral Areas Order 2018 (S.I. No. 618 of 2018). Signed on 19 December 2018 by John Paul Phelan, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Archived from the original on 6 June 2021. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 8 May 2019.
  3. ^ "Local Election 2019 — Athenry–Oranmore LEA" (PDF). Galway County Council. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 September 2020. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
  4. ^ "Local Election 2019 — Ballinasloe LEA" (PDF). Galway County Council. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 September 2020. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
  5. ^ "Local Election 2019 — Conamara North LEA" (PDF). Galway County Council. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 September 2020. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
  6. ^ "Local Election 2019 — Conamara South LEA" (PDF). Galway County Council. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 September 2020. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
  7. ^ "Local Election 2019 — Gort–Kinvara LEA" (PDF). Galway County Council. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 September 2020. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
  8. ^ "Local Election 2019 — Loughrea LEA" (PDF). Galway County Council. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 September 2020. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
  9. ^ "Local Election 2019 — Tuam LEA" (PDF). Galway County Council. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 September 2020. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
  10. ^ "Galway County Council: Fianna Fáil takes 15 seats". The Irish Times. Dublin. 31 May 2019 [25 May 2019]. Archived from the original on 11 June 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  11. ^ DHPLG 2019, p. 247.
  12. ^ "County Cathaoirleach Liam Carroll to leave Fine Gael over election snub". Galway Bay FM. 20 May 2024. Retrieved 23 November 2024.