DAY ONE at Limerick Racecourse as the count in both Limerick constituencies in General Election 2024 opened held few surprises for anyone.
Early tallies showed no change at all in the County Limerick constituency, with all incumbents – Patrick O’Donovan (FG), Richard O’Donoghue (IndI), and Niall Collins (FF) – projected to retain their seats in the three-seater from the off.
At the first count in the county came in just before 6pm, those predictions rang resoundingly true as Further and Higher Education Minister Patrick O’Donovan found his way back to his seat in Dáil Éireann with not much bother.
It would be another six hours before another seat in the county would be filled, when not long before midnight Independent Ireland co-founder and sitting Limerick County TD Richard O’Donoghue was re-elected on the nineth count.
O’Donovan netted 11,563 votes in the county, while O’Donoghue rounded out with 11,468 after transfers in his favour were finished.
Just after 2am, a delighted and emotional Deputy Niall Collins’ seat was confirmed and the Fianna Fáil man was raised up on tired shoulders having achieved a final vote of 11,525.
There were some who thought that Sinn Féin’s Joanne Collins may be a dark horse in the race, but finished the night out on 7,505.
It was a decidedly longer day in the Limerick City constituency before any movement was made. Candidates had to wait until around 11.30pm (from a 9am start) until the first candidate – Fianna Fáil’s Willie O’Dea – was returned.
Following his re-election, O’Dea prophesised another coalition between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, with his party returning to hold the title of largest in the country.
The city count closed out after Deputy O’Dea’s election, and will resume shortly this morning.
It appears a strong likelihood that Maurice Quinlivan of Sinn Féin (6,305 votes at time of closing) and Fine Gael’s Kieran O’Donnell 6,260 will also find their way comfortably past the 8,435 quota and back into the Dáil once counts resume this morning.
What remains under question, however, is who will take the coveted final seat in the four-seater constituency.
Soc Dems’ Elisa O’Donovan (3,319) is ahead at the moment, followed by Dee Ryan of Fianna Fáil (2,949), Labour’s Conor Sheehan (2,937), and Fine Gael Senator Maria Byrne (2,914).
Behind the pack at the start of the morning are Aontú’s Sarah Beasley (2,674) and Frankie Daly (2,573).
It looks all but a foregone conclusion for outgoing Green Party TD Brian Leddin on 1,893.
O’Donovan was highly transfer friendly throughout Saturday, but it remains to be seen if that will still be the case as we move into Sunday.
Counts are expected to come in hard and fast this morning as all focus now turns to the city.
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