ⓒ The Irish Times
Gráinne Seoige, the well-known television personality, saw her bid for a Dáil seat in Galway West fall short at the first count. Ms. Seoige, a Fianna Fáil candidate, secured only 2,929 votes, a significant shortfall from expectations. While anticipated to perform strongly in Connemara and the islands, she failed to garner sufficient first-preference votes in her native An Spidéal, Inis Meáin, Inis Oírr, and other western areas of the county.
As of 11 pm on November 30th, Ms. Seoige had yet to appear at the count center. Her running mate, Galway City Councillor John Connolly, is expected to be elected, but expressed disappointment at Fianna Fáil’s inability to secure two seats. Councillor Connolly voiced concerns about the campaign’s organization, indicating a need for a thorough post-election review.
Ms. Seoige’s career spans various prominent Irish television networks, including TG4, TV3, RTÉ, Sky News, and Virgin Media. Her recent presentation of Virgin Media’s ‘Grá ar an Trá’ further solidified her public profile. Her decision to run for the Dáil was announced last August, but her campaign faced criticism regarding an advertisement focusing on cancer care in Galway.
