A call by local fishermen not to vote in the general election clearly affected the turnout on Arranmore Island yesterday. On the most populated of Donegal's five inhabited off-shore islands it was estimated at less than 40 per cent.
The island's 60 fishermen are opposed to new tonnage proposals and salmon quotas they feel are threatening their livelihoods.
"Even the small fisherman is facing having to pay in the region of €12,000-€15,000 to use a typical boat," said one angry islander.
"We sent out a flyer asking people to express their opposition to the proposals by not voting, and it clearly worked." The island is traditionally a Fianna Fáil stronghold.
While polling went ahead as scheduled on Gola Island, the helicopter taking the ballot boxes out to Tory Island and Inishbofin Island from Carrickfin Airport was delayed by over an hour by bad weather.
The turnout on Inishbofin was lower than usual as many of the registered voters live on the mainland and were unable to get out to the island to cast their votes. On Inishfree Island, six out of the nine registered voters cast their votes.