The rise of the newly formed 100% Redress Party will undoubtedly be the talking point of the local elections in Co Donegal.

Formed as a result of the defective blocks scandal, which saw thousands of homes crumble across the county, the party put up six candidates across five local electoral areas. To win four seats after strong performances by Joy Beard, Ali Farren, Tómas Seán Devine and Denis McGee is perhaps more than even the group expected.

Talk of the party taking a seat in the Dáil when a general election is called in the next year is already being mooted.

“That must be our aim, because the people have spoken locally and we know the support is there,” said Mr Farren, who topped the poll in the Carndonagh area.

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A record 91 candidates went forward to contest 37 seats, and after the dust has settled, the council will have 10 Fianna Fáil members, 10 from Sinn Féin, nine Independents, four from the 100% Redress Party, three from Fine Gael and one Labour councillor.

There were a number of impressive individual performances, including by community worker Declan Meehan, who trebled his vote after his first outing five years ago to top the poll in the Milford area. He has a track record on community issues and is Donegal’s first openly gay councillor.

It looked for a long time that the gender balance in the county would worsen from a worryingly uneven base, with just four women elected in 2019. Impressive outings for Ms Beard, Sinn Féin’s Dakota Nic Mheanman and sitting councillor Niamh Kennedy means female voices remain on the council.

It was not Fine Gael’s finest hour, with the party losing its seat on the Inishowen peninsula after Johnny McGuinness lost out on the last seat in Carndonagh to Labour’s Martin Farren – the party’s only win in the county.

There were emotional scenes when Fianna Fáil’s Donal “Mandy” Kelly topped the poll in Letterkenny. The seat had been filled by Mr Kelly’s father, also Donal, after the sudden death of another son, Manus Kelly, while competing in the Donegal International Rally in June 2019. Having worked tirelessly in the role for the last three years, Donal “Mandy” Kelly received an impressive 1,841 first preference votes.

Another impressive outing was in the Donegal electoral area, where Fianna Fáil councillor and Ladies’ Gaelic Football Association president Micheal Naughton topped the poll.

One surprise omission from the new-look council will be Milford councillor John O’Donnell, who had been talked of as a poll-topper but was ousted partly due to the rise of Declan Meehan.

Buncrana: 5 seats

Carndonagh: 4 seats

Donegal: 6 seats

Glenties: 6 seats

Letterkenny: 7 seats

Lifford-Stranorlar: 6 seats

Milford: 3 seats

[ View 2019 Donegal County Council resultsOpens in new window ]

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