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The first full tally in the Mayo local elections shows Fine Gael in danger of losing two out of their four councillors
Castlebar tally shows Fine Gael in trouble
Independent Michael Kilcoyne is in position to go 1,000 votes over the quota
Edwin McGreal
Castlebar
The first full tally in the Mayo local elections shows Fine Gael in danger of losing two out of their four councillors in the area.
Cllr Eugene McCormack is as good as gone, sitting on only 686 votes and in 11th place after the first count while Fine Gael will have to manage their votes extremely well in order to try to claim a third seat.
None of their candidates is assured of a seat. Cllr Cyril Burke lies in fifth place on 1190 votes while, incredibly, Cllr Henry Kenny and Cllr Eugene Lavin are neck and neck in joint eighth place on 1,069 votes according to Fine Gael tally figures.
Henry Kenny, the Taoiseach's brother, is certainly at risk at the minute and were he to lose his seat and Fine Gael to only return two councillors, it would be a very worrying result for Enda Kenny in his homeland.
Independent Cllr Michael Kilcoyne has, yet again, polled superbly. He's on 2,797 according to the Fine Gael tally figures with the quota expected to be approximately 1,700.
Looking comfortable in second place is Fianna FΡil's Lisa Chambers who has polled a very impressive 1,455, when many felt, including those in her party, that she would lose out.
Her running mate Cllr Al McDonnell appears safe too on 1,410 while Sinn Féin's Therese Ruane has increased her vote impressively from 902 to 1,325 according to the tally figures. Those first four seats look determined but after that it is wide open.
Fine Gael's Cllr Cyril Burke sits on 1,190, Fianna FΡil's Cllr Blackie Gavin on 1,112 and Independent Cllr Frank Durcan on 1,071, just two ahead of Lavin and Kenny.
Fine Gael's Brendan Henaghan is tenth on 910 votes but could be in contention if, when Eugene McCormack is presumably eliminated, he transfers well to his Castlebar town Fine Gael colleague.
The official first count has begun and there's still much to play for here in the TF Hotel in Castlebar.
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