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Major Inishowen poll tips Sinn
Féin
26.05.09
SINN FÉIN are on target
to take two seats in the Inishowen electoral area in
next month’s local elections, while Fianna Fail,
whose support has fallen dramatically, are in a
battle to retain seats and could see their current
total of four cut in half.
According to the results of an opinion poll carried
out by today's Inishowen Independent, Sinn Féin
councillor Padraig MacLochlainn looks set to romp
home at the top of the poll in Inishowen and he is
likely to bring running mate Sean Ruddy with him
into the council.
Ruddy polls well enough on his own (7%), but if
MacLochlainn’s figures on election day match the
polls (where he shows a massive 23%) he will have a
huge surplus and more than enough to bring Ruddy
over the line.
The poll carried out at seven locations across
Inishowen also showed that support for Fianna Fail
in the peninsula has reduced dramatically and they
will struggle to retain their current allocation of
four seats, possibly even seeing that number halved. |
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Already sitting
councillors Francis Conaghan and Denis McGonagle
have declared that they will not contest the
election and neither of those seats is guaranteed to
return to Fianna Fail.
However while Fianna Fail’s support has reduced
significantly, Fine Gael has not benefited hugely.
However the figures do suggest that Fine Gael
newcomer John Ryan is on course to be elected,
taking the second highest number of first
preferences after Padraig MacLochlainn.
Those who seem to have gained most at the expense of
Fianna Fail are Labour - who did not run a candidate
in Inishowen in 2004 - and independent candidates
with Nicholas Crossan in particular within striking
distance of causing a major upset by taking a seat.
Labour’s Martin Farren polled well, taking the third
highest number of first preferences and could cause
a surprise in the peninsula if transfers were to go
his way.
Of the sitting councillors after Padraig
MacLochlainn, it would seem that Rena Donaghey who
attracts a large number of transfers according to
the poll, is also likely to be elected.
However things are not as clear-cut for Marian
McDonald or Bernard McGuinness who are competing in
an area with a large number of candidates competing
for votes.
One of those candidates is Fianna Fail new boy
Charlie McConalogue, but the poll shows him faring
badly with just 3% of the vote, with independent
Batty Connell on 2% and Fine Gael’s Keith Roulston
1%.
Mickey Doherty meanwhile is likely to be in the
battle with 6% but will depend on transfers while
Paul Canning (Fianna Fail) and Sheenagh McMahon
(Green Party) will also need transfers to take them over the line.
Significantly, however, a huge proportion of those
polled remain undecided, with 18% of those polled
saying they didn’t know if they would vote and 24%
of those who said they would vote, as yet to decide
on where their first preference will go.
(Inishowen Independent) |
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