How did the farmer candidates fare in the local elections?

Two weeks ago, we featured every candidate in the local elections who had declared themselves as a farmer. With over 850 of the 949 seats filled, how did they do? Find out here:

Leinster

Meath

Eugene Cassidy was returned for a fifth term for Fine Gael in Kells. In Laytown/Bettystown, Aontú candidate Peter Whelan was eliminated on the sixth count.

Westmeath

In Athlone, sitting councillor John Cleary was returned, while independent candidate and horse trainer Tom Cleary fell well short of the quota. In Kinnegad, Independent Ireland’s Brian Crum was eliminated on the ninth count. Seamus McDermott, standing for Fine Gael, is in sixth place and needs a strong transfer from fellow farmer Crum to win one of the five available seats.

Johnnie Penrose, brother of former Labour party agriculture spokesperson Willie, has retained his seat in Moate.

Longford

In Granard, Fine Gael’s Paraic Brady and independent Turlough McGovern have both retained their council seats. Paul Ross, like the other two, a cattle farmer, topped the poll for Fine Gael in Ballymahon. All three were elected on the first count.

Louth

There was no farmer candidate in Louth.

Dublin

Perhaps unsurprisingly, there was no farmer candidate in Dublin, either.

Offaly

Green Party candidate in Edenderry, Mark Hackett, polled disappointingly, getting only 270 votes. Mark had been co-opted to succeed his wife Pippa onto the county council following her appointment to the Seanad and cabinet.

Eddie Fitzpatrick fared better, topping the poll for Fianna Fáil, and he was elected on the first count. In Birr, Hugh Egan gained 1,171 first preference votes, and is well in contention to take a seat for Fine Gael.

Laois

The news for the Hackett family was no better in Laois, where first-time candidate Charlie, Mark and Pippa’s son, fell well short of a seat in Graiguecullen/Portarlington. The last seat will be a battle between two Fine Gael candidates, farmer PJ Kelly and vet Vivienne Phelan. Farmer Patsy Fennell of Independent Ireland was eliminated after the fourth count. In Portlaoise, farmer William Aird topped the poll and was elected on the first count for Fine Gael.

In Borris-in-Ossory/Mountmellick, Conor Bergin, cousin of former IFA chair Jer Bergin, topped the poll, and is seen as Charlie Flanagan’s heir apparent. Independent councillor Ollie Clooney will retain his seat, but Fine Gael farmer Paddy Buggy looks like just falling short of a seat.

Kildare

William Durkan, a farmer and lecturer, won a seat for Fine Gael in Clane on the ninth count. Paddy Curran failed to retain his seat in the Kildare local electoral area (LEA). David Owens failed to be elected for Fianna Fáil in Athy.

Kilkenny

Mary Hilda Cavanagh was elected on the first count for Fianna Fáil in the Castlecomer area. The Crosspatrick farmer has been a county councillor for 50 years, and her popularity shows no sign of waning. Maria Wall, who stood for Fianna Fáil in the Piltown area, failed to be elected.

Like Charlie Hackett, she is only 20 years old, and surely a bright future lies ahead for both of them.

Carlow

Independent councillor Charlie Murphy was elected on the first count in the Tullow area, where farmers Jim Deane (Sinn Féin) and John McDonald (Fianna Fáil) failed to be elected. In Muinebheag, Thomas Kinsella topped the poll, taking a seat for Fine Gael on the first count.

Wicklow

Sylvester Bourke, a long-time councillor for Fine Gael, was returned once again in Arklow. Alex Pigot failed to gain a seat in Bray West for the Green Party, while Shane Langrell took a seat for Fine Gael on the ninth count in the Wicklow LEA.

Wexford

Paddy Kavanagh took a seat for Verona Murphy’s Wexford Independent Alliance in Kilmuckridge, having previously been a county councillor for Fine Gael in the Enniscorthy LEA.

Marty Murphy, the former Wexford Milk Producers chair, won a seat for the same grouping in New Ross, while Cyril Wheelock failed narrowly for them in Enniscorthy.

Oliver Walsh (Fine Gael) and Pip Breen (Fianna Fáil) retained their seats in Kilmuckridge. In Enniscorthy, Barbara Anne-Murphy, whose father Rory was president of Macra, retained her seat for Fianna Fáil.

Munster

Clare

Bill Slattery topped the poll in Ennistymon for Fine Gael, where Fianna Fáil’s Joe Killeen retained his seat, but independent Pam O’Loughlin fell short.

In Killaloe, Pat Burke retained his seat for Fine Gael, but Independent Ireland’s Matthew Moroney failed to get elected. In the Kilrush area, Michael Shannon won a seat for Fianna Fáil, but Joe Woulfe (Independent Ireland) and John Hill (Irish Freedom Party) failed to be elected.

Cork

Independent councillor and farmer Alan Coleman topped the poll in the Bandon/Kinsale area, and was elected on the first count. John Michael Foley was also elected on the sixth count. In Cobh, farmer Sheila O’Callaghan topped the poll for Fianna Fáil, and was elected on the first count alongside Fine Gael’s Anthony Barry.

Cliona O’Halloran failed to win a seat for the Green Party. Neilus Cotter won a seat for Fianna Fáil in Fermoy, where agri-contractor Frank Roche failed to be elected as an independent candidate.

In Kanturk, Bernard Moynihan, brother of TD and former Fianna Fáil agriculture spokesperson Michael, won a seat, while Finbarr Cronin fell short.

Macroom saw Dermot Kelleher, the recent ICSA president, fail to win a seat for Independent Ireland. Michael Creed, cousin and namesake of the former agriculture minister, was elected in Macroom for Fine Gael alongside running mate Ted Lucey. In Bantry-West Cork, Finbarr Harrington won a seat as an independent, but Helen O’Sullivan fell just short. Finally, in Skibbereen-West Cork, neither farming candidate Declan Hurley (Independent) or Dónnchadh O’Seaghda (Sinn Féin) gained a seat.

Kerry

In Killarney, independent Brendan Cronin retained his seat, with Fianna Fáil’s Niall Kelleher elected for a third time. In Corca Dhuibhne, Seamus “Cosai” Fitzgerald lost his seat to a Fine Gael party colleague. Former Fianna Fáil TD Thomas McEllistrim, running as an independent candidate, lost out by just six votes after a recount in Tralee.

In Kenmare, Jackie Healy Rae topped the poll, while Dan McCarthy, the mart manager in Kenmare, took one of the remaining seats. Independent candidates Patrick Lyne and Oliver O’Neill lost out.

Tipperary

In Cahir, Michael Anglim retained his seat for Fianna Fáil, but running mate and fellow farmer PJ English lost out. Michael Fogarty failed to take a seat for Fine Gael in Cashel, while independent councillor and farmer Michael O’Meara retained his seat in Nenagh.

Limerick

Farmer Dan McSweeney retained his seat for Fine Gael in Limerick City West. John O’Donoghue retained his seat in Adare/Rathkeale this time standing for Independent Ireland. Fine Gael farmers Stephen Keary and Adam Teskey topped the poll in Adare/Rathkeale, with both elected on the first count.

Liam Galvin and John Sheahan also retained a pair of seats for Fine Gael in Newcastle West, where Jim Barrett failed to take a seat for Independent Ireland.

Independent councillor Eddie Ryan retained his seat in Cappamore-Kilmallock.

Waterford

Pat Nugent retained his seat in Dungarvan, but running mate Monica Murphy, daughter of former IFA dairy chair Michael Murphy fell short. Fine Gael’s Declan Doocey lost his seat in Lismore, where Michael J Walsh failed to get elected for Fianna Fáil. Seanie Power retained his seat in the Portlaw/Kilmacthomas LEA.

Ulster

Donegal

Michael Harkin failed to take a seat for Aontú in Glenties. In Carndonough, Johnny McGuinness fell short of a seat for Fine Gael. Liam Blaney retained his seat for Fianna Fáil in Milford, where independent Vincent Bradley fell short. In Lifford-Stranorlar, independent Niall McConnell lost out.

Cavan

Independent John O’Reilly failed to be elected in Baileborough-Cootehill. Winston Bennett was re-elected for Fine Gael in Ballyjamesduff, where Gordon Lester failed to be elected for the Irish Peoples Party.

Monaghan

Seamus Coyle topped the poll for Fianna Fáil in Ballybay /Clones, being elected on the fist count to retain his seat.

Connacht

Leitrim

In Manorhamilton, Kevin Comiskey, who stepped down as IFA sheep chair to run for Fine Gael, failed to be elected. Fianna Fáil’s Justin Warnock and independent Eddie Mitchell were both elected, but independent Diarmuid McConville fell well short of contention. Paddy O’Rourke was re-elected on the first count in Ballinamore for Fianna Fail, with one-and-a-half quotas. In Carrick-on Shannon, Fianna Fáil’s Paddy Farrell was re-elected, but independent Michael McManus failed to be elected.

Sligo

Diarmuid McConville, who contested a seat in Leitrim also stood in Sligo-Strandhill as an independent candidate, and was again well short of a seat. In Ballymote-Tubbercurry, Gerard Mullaney (Fine Gael) and Joseph Queenan (independent) were both successful in winning seats.

Roscommon

Fine Gael’s John Naughten was re-elected on the first count in the Athlone LEA. Also re-elected here was former Macra president Larry Fallon, who like John Naughten’s brother Denis the independent, left Fine Gael to become an independent councillor. In Boyle, sitting councillor Liam Callaghan is just three votes ahead of his party colleague with a recount now called to determine whether one of them or Independent Ireland’s Paul Forde will take the last seat.

Galway

Ballinasloe might have the best farmer representation of any LEA in the country, as three farmers retained their seats. Fianna Fáil’s Michael Connolly topped the poll, Sinn Féin’s Dermot Connolly also elected on the first count, while Fine Gael’s Peter Keaveney joined them in the winner’s enclosure one count later. There were contrasting fortunes next door in Loughrea, where sitting Sinn Féin councillor Aisling O’Reilly lost her seat, while Fianna Fáil’s Mark Larkin and Irish Peoples Party candidate John Anthony McGettigan failed to be elected.

In Athenry, Fine Gael’s Peter Feeney retained his seat, but Independent Ireland’s Seán Hehir fell short. Gort-Kinvara rivals Ballinasloe in terms of farmer councillors, with independent Geraldine Donohoe topping the poll to be re-elected on the first count alongside Fine Gael’s PJ Murphy, while Gerry Finnerty won a seat for Fianna Fáil. Críostóir Breathnach stood in Conamara Noth and South but failed to be elected in either LEA. Gerry King fared better, taking a seat once again in Conamara North for Fianna Fáil. Independent Sineád O’Brien failed to win a seat in Conamara South.

Mayo

Fine Gael’s Pat Chambers, who stepped away from his role on the IFA’s hill committee to contest a seat in Belmullet, failed to gain a seat, but Seán Carey retained his seat for Fianna Fáil. In Castlebar, Gerry Loftus, the leader of the Irish Rural Organisation failed to be elected as an independent candidate. In Claremorris, independent councillor Patsy O’Brien topped the poll. Sitting councillor Damien Ryan retained his seat for Fianna Fáil, but his running mate Stephen Nolan failed to take a second seat, while independent Ireland’s Mark Devane failed to gain a seat. In Swinford, independent Seán Forkin failed to win a seat. Finally, we come to Westport, where Independent Ireland’s Chris Maxwell topped the poll and was elected on the second count. John O’Malley retained his seat as an independent, but Peter Nolan, standing for the Green Party, failed to get elected.