The Race for Council Seats: Highlights from the European Elections
With one-third of the 949 council seats now filled, the European elections are in full swing. The counting of votes to fill the 14 vacant MEP seats has been ongoing since 9am. Here are five standout moments from the elections:
1. ‘Chicken’ Run in Co Tipperary:
Michael ‘Chicken’ Brennan secured a seat on Tipperary County Council, attributing his nickname to his childhood. Labour TD Alan Kelly praised Brennan’s popularity in the area.
2. Candidate Withdraws, Still Receives Votes:
Maria Dwyer-Agrios, a Fine Gael candidate who withdrew from the race, still garnered 105 votes. She publicly asked voters not to choose her following allegations of impropriety.
3. Boxing Star in the Fray:
Former boxer Eric Donovan is vying for a council seat with Sinn Féin in Drogheda. Known for his advocacy work in mental health, Donovan secured 721 first preference votes.
4. Assault Victim Tops Poll:
Tania Doyle, who was assaulted during the campaign, emerged as the top candidate in the Ongar electoral area. Despite facing abuse and intimidation, Doyle received over 2,057 first-preference votes.
5. Claire Murray vs Claire Murray:
In Offaly, two candidates with identical names are competing for a council seat. Fianna Fáil’s Claire Murray leads the race with 1,134 first preference votes, while Sinn Féin’s Claire Murray follows closely behind with 648 votes.