Seán Kyne elected in Galway West after leapfrogging Noel Thomas on final count

By Gráinne Ní Aodha, Press Association

Fine Gael senator Seán Kyne has been elected in the Galway West byelection after leapfrogging Independent Ireland’s Noel Thomas on the final count.

Thomas had topped the poll with 10,007 first preference votes, followed closely by Kyne on 9,647, but Kyne narrowed the gap over subsequent counts to clinch the seat after Labour councillor Helen Ogbu’s were dispersed.

Both he, Business Minister Peter Burke and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris were hoisted up when the results were announced at the count centre at Galway Lawn Tennis Club.

Kyne said after being elected: “I lost my seat in this count centre in 2020, I failed to get it back in 2024 in this count centre, so it’s very special.

“They’ve painted it from green to blue since then, and hopefully that was an omen. I’m absolutely thrilled.”

Tánaiste and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris earlier said Kyne’s victory in Galway West would be “a victory for centrist politics” and said it showed the “healthy state” of Fine Gael.

“What I take from this is a small sense of encouragement that people will respond to politics that is about trying to deliver solutions, politics that is trying to not be angry or loud or shouty but actually trying to work hard to deliver,” he said.

“If we prevail today, I think that’s a victory for centrist politics.”