2019 Galway County Council election

An election to all 39 seats on Galway County Council was held on 24 May 2019 as part of the 2019 Irish local elections. County Galway was divided into 7 local electoral areas (LEAs) 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).

2019 Galway County Council election
24 May 2019
All 39 seats on Galway County Council
20 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Party Fianna Fáil Fine Gael Sinn Féin
Seats won 15 11 1
Seat change Increase 3 Decrease 1 Decrease 2
  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
 
Party Green Republican Sinn Féin Independent
Seats won 1 1[lower-alpha 1] 10
Seat change Increase 1 Steady Decrease 1
Results by local electoral area

Boundary changes

Following a recommendation of the 2018 Boundary Committee, the boundaries of the LEAs were altered from those used in the 2014 elections. Its terms of reference required no change in the total number of councillors but set a maximum LEA size of seven councillors, which three of the 2014 LEAs exceeded. Other changes were necessitated by population shifts revealed by the 2016 census.[1][2]

Overview

Fianna Fáil had a very good election, winning 3 additional seats and increasing their vote by over 5%. Fine Gael lost a seat to fall to 11 but also increased their vote. The Greens gained 1 seat in Conamara and Republican Sinn Féin retained their single seat. Sinn Féin lost 2 seats to be reduced to just 1 member. However, Gabe Cronelly who had quit the party since 2014 was re-elected as an independent.

Results by party
Party Seats ± 1st pref FPv% ±%
Fianna Fáil 15 Increase3 25,369 32.80 Increase5.40
Fine Gael 11 Decrease1 23,869 30.86 Increase3.26
Sinn Féin 1 Decrease2 3,721 4.81 Decrease2.69
Green 1 Increase1 1,482 1.92 Increase1.92
Republican Sinn Féin 1[lower-alpha 1] Steady 971 1.26 Decrease0.14
Aontú 0 Steady 1,128 1.46 New
Renua 0 Steady 505 0.65 New
Inds. 4 Change 0 Steady 429 0.55 New
Social Democrats 0 Steady 407 0.53 New
Labour 0 Steady 206 0.27 Decrease3.23
Independent 10 Decrease1 19,262 24.90 Decrease4.50
Total 39 Steady 77,349 100.0

Results by local electoral area

^ *: Outgoing councillor elected in 2014.
^ †: Outgoing councillor coopted subsequent to the 2014 election.

Athenry–Oranmore
Athenry–Oranmore: 7 seats[3]
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
12345678910
Independent James Charity[*] 14.32% 1,792                  
Fianna Fáil Albert Dolan 13.74% 1,720                  
Independent Jim Cuddy[*] 11.64% 1,457 1,530 1,540 1,630            
Independent Gabe Cronnelly[*] 9.80% 1,226 1,235 1,253 1,280 1,289 1,418 1,512 1,547 1,800  
Fine Gael David Collins 9.29% 1,163 1,182 1,203 1,216 1,219 1,250 1,295 1,413 1,560 1,596
Fine Gael Liam Carroll 7.07% 885 899 904 926 926 956 1,003 1,041 1,186 1,224
Fianna Fáil Michael Hannon 6.02% 753 785 810 820 830 853 864      
Fianna Fáil Shelly Herterich Quinn 5.95% 745 750 788 820 824 853 916 1,141 1,326 1,404
Fine Gael Helen Jennings 5.86% 734 738 749 792 793 842 910 933    
Independent Josette Farrell 5.17% 647 664 667 696 710 750 886 1,105 1,138 1,148
Sinn Féin Louis O'Hara 4.05% 507 519 535 555 556          
Green Kenneth Keavey 3.97% 497 528 532 591 595 679        
Labour Marian Spelman 1.65% 206 213 216              
Renua Amanda McManus 1.46% 183 187 188              
Electorate: 23,796   Valid: 12,515   Spoilt: 202   Quota: 1,565   Turnout: 12,717 (53.44%)  

    Ballinasloe
    Ballinasloe: 6 seats[4]
    PartyCandidateFPv%Count
    12345678
    Independent Tim Broderick[*] 17.83% 2,362              
    Fianna Fáil Michael Connolly[*] 16.36% 2,168              
    Fine Gael Peter Keaveney[*] 12.32% 1,632 1,651 1,691 1,698 1,794 1,807 1,831 1,898
    Independent Declan Geraghty 11.63% 1,541 1,580 1,626 1,637 1,722 1,741 1,778 1,808
    Sinn Féin Dermot Connolly[*] 10.47% 1,387 1,500 1,519 1,603 1,614 1,748 1,932  
    Independent Aisling Dolan[lower-alpha 2] 8.17% 1,082 1,142 1,160 1,259 1,275 1,422 1,571 1,841
    Fine Gael Aidan Donohue[*] 6.38% 845 944 980 1,001 1,022 1,059 1,090 1,352
    Fine Gael Michael Finnerty[*] 5.26% 697 720 733 749 752 784 875  
    Fianna Fáil Mike Kelly 3.86% 511 536 575 609 693 724    
    Social Democrats Ken Campbell 3.07% 407 446 456 496 498      
    Independent Harriett Bruce 2.35% 311 344 354          
    Fianna Fáil Kenneth O'Brien 2.32% 308 326 369 374        
    Electorate: 23,513   Valid: 13,251   Spoilt: 211   Quota: 1,894   Turnout: 13,462 (57.25%)  

      Conamara North
      Conamara North: 4 seats[5]
      PartyCandidateFPv%Count
      12345
      Independent Thomas Welby[*] 29.42% 2,140        
      Fine Gael Eileen Mannion[*] 19.25% 1,400 1,590      
      Fianna Fáil Gerry King 18.56% 1,350 1,437 1,464    
      Fianna Fáil Seamus Walsh[*] 13.91% 1,012 1,281 1,312 1,363 1,467
      Independent Josie Conneely 8.59% 625 668 696 749 984
      Sinn Féin Tom Healy[*] 8.02% 583 644 663 705  
      Independent Críostóir Breathnach 2.24% 163 198 212    
      Electorate: 13,633   Valid: 7,273   Spoilt: 142   Quota: 1,455   Turnout: 7,415 (54.39%)  

        Conamara South
        Conamara South: 5 seats[6]
        PartyCandidateFPv%Count
        1234
        Fine Gael Padraig Mac An Iomaire 15.71% 1,408 1,472 1,535  
        Fianna Fáil Noel Thomas[*] 13.51% 1,211 1,244 1,327 1,515
        Fianna Fáil Dáithí Ó Cualáin 13.01% 1,166 1,250 1,324 1,408
        Fianna Fáil Máirtín Lee 11.34% 1,016 1,056 1,124 1,207
        Green Alastair McKinstry 10.99% 985 1,117 1,216 1,436
        Republican Sinn Féin Tomás Ó Curraoin[*][lower-alpha 1] 10.84% 971 1,117 1,268 1,396
        Fine Gael Ann Flaherty 9.73% 872 904 992  
        Fianna Fáil MacDara Hosty 7.57% 678 694    
        Sinn Féin Kevin O'Hara 5.68% 509      
        Independent Críostóir Breathnach 1.26% 113      
        Independent Patrick Feeney 0.36% 32      
        Electorate: 18,232   Valid: 8,961   Spoilt: 203   Quota: 1,494   Turnout: 9,164 (50.26%)  

          Tomás Ó Curraoin appeared on the ballot as an independent (non-party) but is a member of Republican Sinn Féin and is the sole public representative of that party.

          Gort–Kinvara
          Gort–Kinvara: 5 seats[7]
          PartyCandidateFPv%Count
          12345678
          Fine Gael Joe Byrne[*] 27.08% 2,751              
          Fine Gael P.J. Murphy 15.90% 1,615 1,896            
          Fianna Fáil Martina Kinane[*] 14.56% 1,479 1,555 1,569 1,619 1,631 1,680 1,736  
          Fianna Fáil Gerry Finnerty[*] 8.05% 818 968 996 1,016 1,141 1,153 1,261 1,354
          Fianna Fáil Kevin Fahey 7.99% 812 921 935 960 1,036 1,054 1,162 1,275
          Fine Gael Fionn Kiely 5.88% 597 736 820 846 873 940 994  
          Independent Geraldine Donohue 5.29% 537 623 642 690 777 909 1,095 1,328
          Inds. 4 Change Cormac MacGowan 4.22% 429 461 466 515 546      
          Independent Hubert Geoghegan 4.01% 407 481 495 557 616 702    
          Independent Declan Diviney 3.84% 390 463 474 501        
          Renua Emma O'Connell 3.17% 322 360 374          
          Electorate: 17.335   Valid: 10,157   Spoilt: 178   Quota: 1,693   Turnout: 10,335 (59.62%)  

            Loughrea
            Loughrea: 5 seats[8]
            PartyCandidateFPv%Count
            12345678
            Fine Gael Michael 'Moegie' Maher[*] 20.82% 2,152              
            Fine Gael Jimmy McClearn[*] 19.74% 2,041              
            Fianna Fáil Shane Curley 15.29% 1,581 1,742            
            Fianna Fáil Ivan Canning[†] 15.13% 1,564 1,589 1,747          
            Independent Pat Hynes[*][lower-alpha 2] 9.17% 948 1,052 1,101 1,105 1,111 1,190 1,339 1,560
            Fianna Fáil Pat Flanagan 7.14% 738 814 840 845 853 889 942 1,128
            Aontú Joe Campbell 6.39% 661 674 727 736 737 774 847  
            Sinn Féin Annemarie Roche 3.21% 332 353 375 378 379 467    
            Independent Eoin Madden 3.11% 321 349 358 360 362      
            Electorate: 18,729   Valid: 10,338   Spoilt: 165   Quota: 1,724   Turnout: 10,503 (56.08%)  

              Tuam
              Tuam: 7 seats[9]
              PartyCandidateFPv%Count
              1234567
              Fine Gael Pete Roche[*] 16.36% 2,430            
              Fianna Fáil Joe Sheridan 10.39% 1,544 1,588 1,602 1,649 1,726 1,841 1,846
              Fianna Fáil Donagh Mark Killilea[*] 10.24% 1,521 1,607 1,636 1,698 1,893    
              Fianna Fáil Mary Hoade[*] 9.80% 1,455 1,487 1,492 1,529 1,553 1,840 1,841
              Fine Gael Andrew Reddington 9.35% 1,389 1,449 1,454 1,512 1,533 1,689 1,690
              Fine Gael Tom McHugh[*] 8.47% 1,258 1,376 1,394 1,442 1,509 1,676 1,680
              Fianna Fáil Colm Keaveney 8.21% 1,219 1,271 1,297 1,458 1,630 1,754 1,761
              Independent Billy Connelly[†] 7.53% 1,118 1,152 1,165 1,253 1,298    
              Independent Karey McHugh[*] 6.25% 929 1,020 1,067 1,242 1,571 1,806 1,824
              Independent Shaun Cunniffe[*] 5.80% 862 886 935 1,036      
              Aontú Martin Ward 3.14% 467 477 491        
              Sinn Féin Stíofán De Lundres Ó Dálaigh 2.71% 403 414 438        
              Independent Thomas (T.P.) Niland 1.62% 241 251          
              Independent Dermot Ryan 0.12% 18 19          
              Electorate: 25,125   Valid: 14,854   Spoilt: 213   Quota: 1,857   Turnout: 15,067 (59.97%)  

                Footnotes
                1. Republican Sinn Féin is not a registered party, so its name is not used on ballot papers or in council proceedings.
                2. See change below.

                Results by gender
                2019 Galway County Council election[10][11]
                Candidates by gender
                Gender Number of
                candidates                		  % of
                candidates                		 Elected
                councillors                		  % of
                councillors
                Men 63 80.8% 32 82.1%
                Women 15 19.2% 7 17.9%
                TOTAL78 39 

                Changes

                Changes in affiliation
                Name Electoral area Elected as New affiliation Date
                Aisling Dolan Ballinasloe Independent Fine Gael 29 November 2019[12]

                Co-options
                Party Outgoing Electoral area Reason Date Co-optee
                Fine Gael Aisling Dolan Ballinasloe Nominated by the Taoiseach to the 26th Seanad June 2020 Evelyn Francis Parsons
                Independent Pat Hynes Loughrea Retirement November 2021 Declan Kelly

                Sources
                • "Galway County Council - Local Election candidates". RTÉ. 13 May 2019. Archived from the original on 6 June 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
                • "Local Elections 2019: Results, Transfer of Votes and Statistics" (PDF). Government of Ireland. Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (DHPLG). pp. 112–118. Retrieved 10 June 2020.

                References
                1. Local Electoral Area Boundary Committee No. 1 Report 2018 (PDF). 13 June 2018. pp. 40–43, 146. ISBN 978-1-4064-2990-9. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 April 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
                2. County of Galway Local Electoral Areas Order 2018 (S.I. No. 618 of 2018). Signed on 19 December 2018 by John Paul Phelan, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Archived from the original on 6 June 2021. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 8 May 2019.
                3. "Local Election 2019 — Athenry–Oranmore LEA" (PDF). Galway County Council. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 September 2020. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
                4. "Local Election 2019 — Ballinasloe LEA" (PDF). Galway County Council. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 September 2020. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
                5. "Local Election 2019 — Conamara North LEA" (PDF). Galway County Council. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 September 2020. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
                6. "Local Election 2019 — Conamara South LEA" (PDF). Galway County Council. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 September 2020. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
                7. "Local Election 2019 — Gort–Kinvara LEA" (PDF). Galway County Council. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 September 2020. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
                8. "Local Election 2019 — Loughrea LEA" (PDF). Galway County Council. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 September 2020. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
                9. "Local Election 2019 — Tuam LEA" (PDF). Galway County Council. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 September 2020. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
                10. "Galway County Council: Fianna Fáil takes 15 seats". The Irish Times. Dublin. 31 May 2019 [25 May 2019]. Archived from the original on 11 June 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
                11. DHPLG 2019, p. 247.
                12. "Councillor Aisling Dolan to contest next General Election in Roscommon-Galway constituency as a Fine Gael candidate". MidWest Radio. Ballyhaunis. 28 November 2019. Archived from the original on 6 June 2021. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
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