1979 Donegal County Council election

An election to all 28 seats on Donegal County Council took place on 7 June 1979 as part of the 1979 Irish local elections. County Donegal was divided into five county electoral areas to elect councillors for a five-year term of office on the electoral system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (PR-STV). This term was extended for a further year, to 1985.[1]

1979 Donegal County Council election
7 June 1979
All 28 seats on Donegal County Council
  First party Second party Third party
 
Party Fianna Fáil Fine Gael Independent Fianna Fáil
Seats won 11 10 4
Seat change Steady Steady Steady
  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
 
Party Sinn Féin Sinn Féin The Workers' Party Donegal Progressive Party
Seats won 1 1 1
Seat change Increase1 Steady Steady
Map showing the area of Donegal County Council
Council control before election

Fianna Fáil

 Council control after election

Fianna Fáil

Results by party
Party Seats ± 1st pref FPv% ±
Fianna Fáil 11 Steady 24,516 40.08% Increase 4.44%
Fine Gael 10 Steady 18,260 29.85% Decrease 4.56%
Independent Fianna Fáil 4 Steady 10,245 16.75% Increase 5.68%
Sinn Féin 1 Increase 1 3,055 5.00% Increase 3.16%
Sinn Féin The Workers' Party 1 Steady 2,195 3.59% Decrease 0.34%
Donegal Progressive Party 1 Steady 1,728 2.82% Decrease 0.32%
Independent Steady Decrease2 1,167 1.91% Decrease 7.61%
Total 28 Steady 61,166 100.00%

Results by local electoral area

^ *: Incumbent councillor.

Buncrana
Buncrana: 6 seats[2][3]
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
1234567891011
Fianna Fáil Hugh Conaghan TD[*] 14.1% 1,868                    
Sinn Féin Eddie Fullerton[*] 10.1% 1,331 1,355 1,369 1,424 1,428 1,434 1,443 1,445 1,478 1,491 1,614
Fianna Fáil Conal Doogan[*] 9.6% 1,267 1,271 1,276 1,430 1,582 1,592 1,600 1,604 2,248    
Fine Gael Sean McLaughlin[*] 8.9% 1,176 1,187 1,201 1,225 1,231 1,331 1,444 1,444 1,451 1,452 1,931'
Fine Gael Bernard McGuinness[*] 7.6% 1,005 1,008 1,012 1,020 1,033 1,097 1,417 1,417 1,507 1,532 1,832
Independent Fianna Fáil Michael Deery[*] 7.6% 1,001 1,018 1,064 1,075 1,088 1,093 1,111 1,113 1,243 1,316 1,344
Independent Fianna Fáil Paddy Keaveney[*] 6.8% 896 909 994 1,011 1,133 1,142 1,361 1,366 1,393 1,403 1,441
Fianna Fáil Denis McGonagle 6.7% 885 889 892 924 1,098 1,100 1,110 1,110 —    
Fine Gael Harry Gillen 6.0% 798 804 804 806 854 1,035 —        
Fine Gael Seamus Gill 5.9% 780 794 800 835 840 1,060 1,220 1,221 1,234 1,236 —
Fine Gael Jim Devenney 5.2% 693 693 718 722 724 —          
Fianna Fáil Sean McBride 4.6% 609 611 613 650 —            
Fianna Fáil Karl Deery 3.4% 445 460 463 —              
Independent Fianna Fáil Sean McDaid 2.2% 293 325 —                
Independent Fianna Fáil Mick Gallagher 1.2% 154 —                  
Independent Patrick Kelly 0.2% 27 —                  
Electorate: 17,987   Valid: 13,030 (98.5%)   Spoilt: 198   Quota: 1,890   Turnout: 13,228 (73.54%)  

    Donegal
    Donegal: 6 seats[4][5]
    PartyCandidateFPv%Count
    123456789
    Fianna Fáil Clement Coughlan[*] 22.3% 2,869                
    Fine Gael Michael Melly[*] 12.8% 1,649 1,671 1,682 1,684 1,689 1,702 1,711 1,759 1,773
    Sinn Féin Joe O'Neill 9.6% 1,241 1,285 1,324 1,337 1,384 1,440 1,470 1,491 1,552
    Fianna Fáil Brian McEniff[*] 9.5% 1,220 1,341 1,348 1,350 1,357 1,373 1,402 1,412 1,602
    Fine Gael Colm Gallagher[*] 8.8% 1,140 1,312 1,312 1,316 1,391 1,488 1,503 1,562 1,591
    Fianna Fáil Brian Gallagher[*] 7.4% 957 1,175 1,177 1,186 1,220 1,402 1,472 1,487 1,678
    Fianna Fáil James McBrearty 6.3% 809 960 961 1,003 1,020 1,032 1,226 1,395 —
    Fine Gael Sean McNialluis 5.6% 728 731 732 779 785 786 816 —  
    Fine Gael Thomas Murphy[*] 5.6% 718 785 786 794 821 827 993 1,407 1,576
    Fianna Fáil Patrick McGinley 4.5% 579 651 651 667 701 703 —    
    Independent Fianna Fáil Hugh Cassidy 3.1% 401 477 490 501 584 —      
    Independent Fianna Fáil Hugh Cassidy 3.1% 401 477 490 501 584 —      
    Independent Fianna Fáil John Murray 2.3% 292 371 384 389 —        
    Sinn Féin The Workers' Party Michael Byrne 1.5% 192 194 195 —          
    Independent Fianna Fáil Val Wynne 0.7% 96 96 —            
    Electorate: 16,519   Valid: 12,891   Quota: 1,842  

      Glenties
      Glenties: 6 seats[6][7]
      PartyCandidateFPv%Count
      1234567
      Fianna Fáil Paddy Delap[*] 20.6% '2,391            
      Sinn Féin The Workers' Party Seamus Rogers[*] 13.1% 1,519 1,599 1,653 1,736      
      Fianna Fáil Pat The Cope Gallagher[*] 12.1% 1,411 1,632 1,649 1,663      
      Fianna Fáil Sean McNelis[*] 9.9% 1,149 1,306 1,310 1,469 1,495 1,506 1,524
      Independent Fianna Fáil John Kelly[*] 9.3% 1,084 1,128 1,141 1,241 1,247 1,256 1,576
      Fine Gael Pat Slowey 8.5% 992 995 997 1,104 1,121 1,182 1,220
      Fine Gael James Doohan[*] 7.1% 822 866 873 877 882 938 —
      Fine Gael Jim Coyle[*] 6.9% 800 832 841 842 843 —  
      Fine Gael Fred Coll 6.4% 746 859 899 903 903 1,285 1,581
      Fianna Fáil John McLoone 4.4% 514 519 526 —      
      Sinn Féin Donal De Barra 1.7% 198 229 —        
      Electorate: 16,684   Valid: 11,626 (98.65%)   Spoilt: 159   Quota: 1,661   Turnout: 11,785 (70.64%)  

        Letterkenny
        Letterkenny: 6 seats[8][9]
        PartyCandidateFPv%Count
        12345678910
        Fine Gael Paddy Harte TD[*] 13.9% 2,046 2,073 2,124              
        Fianna Fáil Paddy McGowan[*] 13.8% 2,033 2,086 2,094 2,099 2,209          
        Fianna Fáil Bernard McGlinchey[*] 12.7% 1,868 1,888 2,064 2,163            
        Donegal Progressive Party William Buchanan[*] 11.7% 1,728 1,745 1,749 1,846 1,864 1,864 1,865 1,866 1,909 1,929
        Fine Gael J.J. Reid[*] 8.0% 1,188 1,256 1,271 1,499 1,562 1,567 1,571 1,578 1,626 1,697
        Independent Fianna Fáil Charles O'Donnell[*] 7.5% 1,106 1,118 1,173 1,220 1,260 1,263 1,280 1,284 1,339 1,425
        Independent Fianna Fáil Susan McGonagle[*] 6.6% 979 1,065 1,104 1,117 1,162 1,167 1,171 1,171 1,211 1,616
        Fianna Fáil Joseph Peoples 5.5% 817 820 835 850 911 928 942 942 —  
        Independent Fianna Fáil Gabriel Gordon 5.5% 812 848 872 876 934 946 952 954 975 —
        Independent Billy Gallagher 4.7% 695 704 737 753 —          
        Fine Gael May McClintock 3.8% 562 572 610 —            
        Sinn Féin The Workers' Party Sean O'Donnell 3.3% 484 501 —              
        Independent Charles Long 3.0% 445 —                
        Electorate: 20,479   Valid: 14,763 (98.16%)   Spoilt: 277   Quota: 2,110   Turnout: 15,040 (73.44%)  

          Milford
          Milford: 4 seats[10][11]
          PartyCandidateFPv%Count
          123456
          Independent Fianna Fáil Harry Blaney[*] 20.8% 1,805          
          Fianna Fáil Noel McGinley[*] 17.8% 1,545 1,547 1,610 1,690 1,783  
          Fine Gael William McCafferty[*] 14.6% 1,262 1,265 1,284 1,344 1,376 1,515
          Fine Gael Joachim Loughrey[*] 13.3% 1,155 1,167 1,182 1,266 1,290 1,425
          Independent Fianna Fáil Rosemary McCafferty 10.2% 882 919 972 1,004 1,286 1,368
          Fianna Fáil Ian McGarvey 9.2% 797 800 808 960 969 —
          Fianna Fáil William Friel 5.6% 483 490 503 —    
          Independent Fianna Fáil Hugh McClafferty 5.1% 444 450 514 537 —  
          Sinn Féin Pat Doherty 3.3% 285 288 —      
          Electorate: 10,790   Valid: 8,658 (98.04%)   Spoilt: 173   Quota: 1,732   Turnout: 8,831 (84.81%)  

            References

            Sources
            • Department of the Environment (1980). Local elections, 1979 : election results and transfer of votes in respect of each county, and county borough council : and election statistics relating to all local authorities (PDF). Official publications. Vol. Prl.9322. Dublin: Stationery Office. Retrieved 3 March 2016.

            Citations
            1. Local Elections (Specification of Local Election Year) Order 1984 (S.I. No. 6 of 1984). Signed on 12 January 1984 by Liam Kavanagh, Minister for the Environment. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book.
            2. "Donegal County Council: (Buncrana) 1979 Local Election Results, Counts, Stats and Analysis". irelandelection.com. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
            3. DofE 1980, pp. 30–31.
            4. "Donegal County Council: (Donegal) 1979 Local Election Results, Counts, Transfers". irelandelection.com. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
            5. DofE 1980, p. 32.
            6. "Donegal County Council: (Glenties) 1979 Local Election Results, Counts, Stats and Analysis". irelandelection.com. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
            7. DofE 1980, p. 33.
            8. "Donegal County Council: (Letterkenny) 1979 Local Election Results, Counts, Stats and Analysis". irelandelection.com. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
            9. DofE 1980, pp. 34–35.
            10. "Donegal County Council: (Milford) 1979 Local Election Results, Counts, Stats and Analysis". irelandelection.com. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
            11. DofE 1980, p. 36.
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