Who was elected in your area?: Cobh

Wed, 12 Jun, 2024 - 07:00

Amy Campbell

THE Cobh local election took 11 counts to fill six seats, with it coming down to a real nailbiter between two first-time candidates.

Fianna Fáil’s Sheila O’Callaghan and Anthony Barry of Fine Gael were elected on the first count, but the next nine counts yielded no elections.

Peter Kidney, Independent; Rola Abu Zeid-O’Neill, People Before Profit; Diarmuid Ó Cadhla, Glór — Voice of the People; Keith Kelly, Fine Gael; and Medhi Ozcnar of Sinn Féin were eliminated slowly, ending with just Cliona O’Halloran of the Green Party and Dominic Finn of Fianna Fáil remaining.

Mr Finn was announced as having beaten Ms O’Halloran to the final seat in the Cobh LEA by just seven votes, and Ms O’Halloran asked for a recount, given the closeness of the vote.

Ms O’Halloran told The Echo it was very tense, saying: “I wasn’t expecting this waiting this morning, I was expecting to not get a seat.

Mr Finn added that he has “lost about a stone” over the last two days, saying: “It’s been a long day, and tomorrow will be just as long — 10am tomorrow the two of us will be back here.”

A recount on Monday saw the result stand and Mr Finn elected.

Meanwhile, Ms O’Callaghan, who topped the poll with 2,202 votes, said she was delighted “because I was a co-optee, I’ve always suffered from imposter syndrome, like I wasn’t really an elected member”.

Mr Barry, meanwhile, said that while it was a relief to be elected early, he enjoyed the remaining counts.

“It’s such a slow process, and you can really see the democracy in action,” he said, adding: “Democracy is a fragile thing.”

On his party’s success as a whole, he said: “Though I think it’s more about the candidates than the party, if it was going to be a terrible day for Fine Gael then the votes would have showed that.

“I think Simon Harris has made a big difference — he came at the right time.”

Sinead Sheppard was elected on the seventh count and said that she was “absolutely elated”.

“This is my fourth election — the waiting never gets any easier and the joy still feels as good this time around as it did the first time,” she said.

“I’m extremely humbled by my vote — I never take that for granted.

New councillor Dominic Finn, Fianna Fáil , with his wife Cheralyn , daughter Abbie and Damian and Laragh O'Brien after he was elected to the Cobh Local Electoral Area at the County Hall. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

“Nearly every time I’ve been elected I’ve had a newborn with me, so this is the first time where they’re at an age that they know what’s going on — luckily it went well and I have three boys really proud of their mam.”

The 10th count saw Ger Curley of Independent Ireland and sitting Labour councillor Cathal Rasmussen elected.

Curley, a first-time candidate, said: “I think people wanted a bit of a change, moving away from the bigger parties.

Cllr. Sinead Sheppard , Fine Gael welcomes Ger Curley, Independent Ireland as a newly elected councillor to the Cobh Local Electoral Area at the County Hall. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

“I was initially going to run as an Independent, but when I read up about Michael Collins and what he was doing, I thought I would need a bit of backing, and it’s definitely progressive, with no whip system, it could be the future of Irish politics.”

Mr Rasmussen said: “I’m thrilled; it was a bit of a long wait, but I was confident from the tallies on Saturday, even though Cobh is difficult to get elected from because we have so many good candidates.”

RESULTS

COBH ELECTORAL AREA

First preference votes

Elected: Subject to recount

Sheila O’Callaghan (FF) 2,202

Anthony Barry (FG) 1,935

Sinead Sheppard (FG) 1,497

Ger Curley (II), 1,293

Cathal Rasmussen (LAB), 1,541

Dominic Finn (FF), 940

Not elected

Cliona O’Halloran (GP), 834