Who was elected in your area?: Cork city North West

Mon, 10 Jun, 2024 - 15:54

Donal O’Keeffe

JUST after 9pm yesterday night, City North West became the first ward to complete its count, electing two Fianna Fáil councillors, two Sinn Féin councillors, one Fine Gael councillor, and one People Before Profit - Solidarity councillor.

Fianna Fáil’s Tony Fitzgerald topped the poll late on Saturday night, with 1,930 votes in a ward with a 1,753 quota.

Fine Gael’s Damian Boylan was elected on the first count too, with Fianna Fáil’s Dr John Sheehan following on the fourth count yesterday afternoon.

Sinn Féin’s Michelle Gould was elected on the 10th count, followed immediately by party colleague Kenneth Collins.

Speaking to The Echo after her election, Ms Gould said she was humbled by her election, adding that it was bittersweet, as her colleague Mick Nugent had failed to get across the line.

“To lose someone of the standard of Mick Nugent is just really a pity, but Mick is well able, he’s going to drive on, and myself and Kenneth, two friends, are elected, and I’m really looking forward to working with him,” she said.

Mr Collins said it was sad to see “one of the hardest-working councillors in Cork City Council losing his seat”.

“The man worked morning, noon, and night, but that’s politics, and we gained a great councillor in Michelle Gould, a great woman who is a fantastic candidate who will do great work in the council,” Mr Collins said.

Thamas Gould, TD with Noreen Healy, candidate Michelle Gould, Sharon Daly and Claire Fielding at the count at City Hall on Sunday. Pic Larry Cummins

He added that it said a lot that Ross Lahive of the Irish People party, who was beaten to the final seat by People Before Profit-Solidarity’s Brian McCarthy, had left the count centre without shaking the hands of those who had defeated him.

The elimination of Aontú’s Finian Toomey in the seventh count and the distribution of his votes had seen Mr Lahive edge ahead of Sinn Féin’s Mick Nugent and People Before Profit-Solidarity’s Brian McCarthy for the final seat.

However, the elimination of the Green Party’s Louise Jordan in the eighth count and the distribution of her votes, and the subsequent elimination of Mick Nugent in the ninth and the distribution of his votes, saw Mr McCarthy finish on 1,366 votes, ahead of Mr Lahive’s 1,173.

Mr McCarthy said his campaign had turned a spotlight on the issues of water quality and housing, and he said he intended to continue to work hard for the people of his ward.

Turning to the candidate he had just defeated, Mr McCarthy said the library protests, of which Mr Lahive had been a leading activist, had targeted library staff and members of the LGBTQI community.

“In response to that, we saw more than 700 people turn out, and that shows the kind of resistance we need to the far right,” he said.

“Today is a massive victory for socialists, the working class, for everyone who stands up to the poisonous politics of hatred and division.”

RESULTS

North West (six seats)

First preference votes

ELECTED: