How 16,964 people in Inishowen voted 28.05.07

A total of 16,964 people in Inishowen from Malin Head to Burnfoot, exercised their franchise last Thursday. Those votes helped make some candidates' dreams come true while dashing the political hopes of others. Of those 16,964 votes - excluding those received by the candidates in the rest of Donegal North East - Padraig MacLochlainn got 4,500 votes; Niall Blaney, 1,067; Mary Doherty, 212; Frank Gallagher, 196; Jimmy Harte, 326; Cecilia Keaveney, 6066; James McDaid, 653; Ian McGarvey, 30; Arthur McGuinness, 80; Joe McHugh, 3,392 and Siobhan McLaughlin, 342. Those elected were Fine Gael's Joe McHugh who topped the poll followed by Fianna Fail running mates James McDaid and Niall Blaney.

McHugh's wife Olwyn Enright was also elected in her Laois-Offaly constituency to make them the first husband-and-wife team in the Dail for 40 years. Meanwhile, Cllr. Pádraig Mac Lochlainn issued a "heartfelt thanks" to the people of Inishowen for their support in the election. Cllr MacLochlainn secured close to one-in-three first preference votes in the peninsula and narrowly missed out
taking a Dáil seat, in the eighth and final count. Cllr. MacLochlainn said: "It has been my great privilege to serve the people of Inishowen as a county councillor over the last three years. "From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank the thousands of people across Inishowen who put their trust in me last Thursday. "I want you to know that I am more determined than ever to work for you and fight for your right to have decent health services, employment, adequate roads, water, and sewerage infrastructure, to mention but a few of the many issues to be addressed in our area." He said the Inishowen Sinn Fein team would redouble its efforts and that he hoped one day to serve the people of the peninsula in Dail Eireann. "In partnership with my colleague, Cllr. Daren Lalor and the hard working Sinn Féin organisation in every parish of the peninsula, I look forward to continuing to serve the people of Inishowen as a county councillor and some day to serve them as a TD."
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