Mayo endorses Higgins for President

Mayo tally endorses Higgins for President


It seems Ballindine native Sabina Coyne is set to become First Lady

Michael Duffy

THE 2011 Presidential Election campaign has been a long and protracted, one but the emphatic victory of the most-experienced member of the field, Michael D Higgins, has turned count day into an anti-climax.
The Labour candidate, whose wife, Sabina Coyne, is a native of Ballindine, is all set to become the ninth President of the Republic of Ireland, thanks to a superb performance that may see him gain 40 per cent of the overall first-preference vote.
Here in Mayo, tally figures have revealed that the 70-year-old received just over 38 per cent of the first preference vote, a full 13 per cent ahead of one-time favourite, Independent Séan Gallagher.
Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness also polled strongly in Mayo, receiving 12 per cent of the first-preference vote, relegating Kiltimagh native Mary Davis to fourth place on 9 per cent.
The Special Olympics supremo will probably be disappointed with her performance in her home county but she managed to marginally stay ahead of Fine Gael candidate Gay Mitchell, receiving 117 more first preference votes on the tally figures.
The wooden spoon in Mayo went to one time favourite for the Áras David Norris, who finished just a handful of votes below Dana Rosemary Scallon. Both ended up with just over 3 per cent of the first preference tally figures.
An official first count from the Mayo constituency count centre in Castlebar is expected around 8pm this evening (Friday). See next Tuesday’s edition of The Mayo News for opinion and reaction.

Elsewhere on mayonews.ie
Read The Mayo News interview with Michael D Higgins