RIP Laura Buckley Noonan
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07 Sept 2025
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07 Sept 2025
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The Donegal LEA count Centre in the St John Bosco Centre, Donegal Town. PHOTO: Siobhán McNamara
It was evident from the outset that transfers were going to play a huge role at the Donegal County Council election count in the Donegal LEA.
That certainly proved to be the case, with this particular count being a fine example of how proportional representation works, and how every vote and every indication of preference matters.
Even before the count got underway in the St John Bosco Centre in Donegal Town, Fianna Fáil’s Micheál Naughton had a clear lead based on tallies. Sinn Féin’s Noel Jordan was solid in second.
And while tallies indicated that Noel Jordan’s Sinn Féin party colleague Michael McMahon also looked safe on 1,358, he was one of five candidates separated by only 88 votes. The others were Jimmy Brogan on 1,335; Donegal Town Mayor Pauric Kennedy (Ind) on 1,310; Manus Boyle (FG) on 1,278 and his party colleague Barry Sweeny on 1,270.
At that point, Independent councillor Niamh Kennedy was in a distant eighth position going into the count, on 1,096.
But as lower polling candidates were eliminated one by one, the balance began to shift. Geographical location was a bigger factor than party loyalty, as can often be the case, though a widespread canvass can help secure second and third preference votes from outside one’s own area.
Eleventh Count
With Micheál Naughton elected on Count Eight and Noel Jordan on Count Ten following the elimination of Pauric Kennedy, the eleventh count decided the fate of the five remaining candidates.
Niamh Kennedy exceeded the quota to finish third, having transferred exceptionally well. Jimmy Brogan (Ind) had been a steady fourth throughout the count, and this is where he finished, having also exceeded the quota in the eleventh count.
See also: ‘We still have an independent female on Donegal County Council because of you’
Sinn Féin’s Michael McMahon and Fine Gael’s Manus Boyle were both elected in the eleventh count without exceeding the quota.
Barry Sweeny bowed out, but was notably gracious and generous with his congratulations and good wishes to those who were successful.
See also: Barry Sweeny vows to keep working for his community
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