Local Elections: Donegal looks set to elect just ONE woman across all LEAs

Donegal looks set to elect just one female councillor across all LEAs in the county. 

Just eleven women have ever been elected as councillors in the history of Donegal County Council, with Susan McGonagle the first woman to be elected almost to the day 45 years ago. 

Of 37 councillors elected during the 2019 elections, four were women (including Marie Therese Gallagher, Rena Donaghey, Niamh Kennedy, and Noreen McGarvey) out of a total 17 female candidates. 

This year, 19 out of 91 candidates are female, with just one so far likely to join Donegal County Council. 

Joy Beard of the 100% Redress party has already exceeded the quota in Buncrana, after achieving 1,447 (or 17.3%) of first preference votes in the tallies. 

She is currently 52 above the quota of 1,396, and that figure is expected to continue rising during the official count at Aura Leisure Centre in Letterkenny. 

She is in second position behind shoo-in Jack Murray, who achieved 2,060 first preference votes in the tallies. 

Kim McMenamin of the Irish People Party achieved 516 votes in the tallies (6.2%), with Niamh Guinness of Sinn Féin hot on her heels with 464 (5.5%). 

Five seats are available in the LEA, and as McMenamin and Guinness are both in sixth and seventh position, they are still in the running. 

Niamh Kennedy (Ind) of Donegal LEA is in danger of losing her seat on the council despite topping the poll in 2019. 

She is currently in eighth position with 1,096 (8.1%) of first preference votes. 

However, with only six seats available, she is not far behind two Fine Gael candidates including current councillor Barry Sweeney with 1,270 votes and Manus Boyle with 1,278 votes. 

Three seats are available in Milford LEA, with Maria Doherty achieving 918 first preference votes (11.3%) and newcomer Declan Meehan topping the tallies with 21% of the vote (1,712 first preferences). 

Meanwhile, Doherty - who is in fifth position - will have to receive 1,118 further votes to reach the quota of 2,036. 

Kathleen Deeney of Aontú received 131 first preference votes (1.6%). 

In Glenties LEA, Kellie Rodgers is in seventh position with 796 first tallies (6.1%) and, with just five seats to fill, she is still in with a chance. 

Micheál Choilm MacGiolla Easbuig topped the poll in this area with 2,111 votes (16.2%), having already surpassed the quota of 1,865, followed by Michael McClafferty who also exceeded the quota (1,902 votes or 14.6%). 

It's still anyone's game for the fourth and fifth seats, as Brian Carr (SF) achieved 1,003 tallies, with 968 for John Shéamais Ó Fearraigh (SF), and 876 for Denis McGee of 100% Redress. 

Anne Marie Rodgers (FF) received 349 first preferences (2.7%), while Ann Sweeney (Non-party) received 71 (0.5%). 

Toni Devine (SF) is the only woman among 9 candidates to run in the Carndonagh LEA, and achieved 269 votes in the tallies (3.3%). 

She is currently in seventh position, with five seats to fill. 

The seats will most likely all be filled by male candidates; Ali Farren of 100% Redress, who topped the poll with 2,223 votes (28.2%), Martin McDermott (FF) with 2,050 votes, current councillor Albert Doherty (SF) with 1,001 votes, Martin Farren (Lab) with 991 votes, and Johnny McGuinness (FG) with 736 votes (9.3%). 

Mary T. Sweeney is still in the game for the Letterkenny LEA, as she is currently in eighth position with 760 votes (5.9%). 

Donal 'Mandy' Kelly, the brother of the late Manus Kelly, topped the poll and exceeded the quota of 1,603 with 1,791 (14%) to retain his seat. 

With seven seats and 18 candidates, Sweeney may just about make it as her nearest competitors, Gerry McMonagle (SF) and Donal Coyle (FF) achieved 952 and 948 first preference votes respectively in the tallies. 

Among all the LEAs, Joy Beard looks like the only one likely to be elected to Donegal County Council.