Duffy eliminated as O’Brien, Keogh and Lawless set to battle for last two Mayo seats

FINE Gael’s Keira Keogh, Independent councillor Patsy O’Brien and Aontú councillor Paul Lawless will contest the last two remaining Mayo Dáil seats after Fine Gael Cllr Mark Duffy was eliminated. 

Cllr Duffy was eliminated on the tenth count after finishing with the lowest tally following the distribution of Dara Calleary’s surplus of 1,285.

The eleventh count will see the distribution of Cllr Duffy’s 7,735 votes among the three remaining candidates. 

Rose Conway-Walsh’s surplus will not be distributed as it will have no material effect on the count.

Deputy Conway-Walsh (Sinn Féin) retained her seat after becoming the first woman ever to top the poll in Mayo. Ministers Dara Calleary (Fianna Fáil) and Alan Dillon (Fine Gael) were re-elected on the eighth count. 

However, her surplus could come into play if the gap between the second-lowest and lowest-placed candidates is less than 151 votes after the eleventh count.

Cllr Lawless currently has 8,377 votes. He trails Cllr O’Brien, who has 7,963 votes, and Ms Keogh who has 9,003. The quota is 11,812. 

Ms Keogh, who ran unsuccessfully in the local elections in the Westport area, will take a seat if she gets the biggest share of Cllr Duffy’s transfers. 

Cllr Duffy was elected as an Independent twice in the Ballina area in 2019 and 2024 before joining Fine Gael before announcing his general election candidacy.