ⓒ The Irish Times
Independent candidate Carol Nolan secured the first seat in the newly configured Offaly constituency after the fifth count in Birr. Nolan’s victory came after receiving a significant boost of 447 transfer votes from Claire Murray, pushing her past the quota of 9,347 votes to a total of 9,594. This result dramatically reshaped the race.
Tony McCormack, a Fianna Fail candidate, benefited from a large number of transfers from his party colleagues, gaining 1,310 votes and bringing his total to 7,929, surpassing both John Clendennen (Fine Gael) and Aoife Masterson (Sinn Fein).
While Clendennen edged ahead of Masterson, a narrow margin of only 84 votes separates the two candidates. The sixth count, involving the distribution of Eddie Fitzpatrick’s votes, holds significant sway over the election’s outcome. The remaining 247 surplus votes from Carol Nolan could also play a crucial role if the gap between Clendennen and Masterson remains tight. Furthermore, the possibility of Tony McCormack having a surplus adds another layer of complexity.
The fifth count results are as follows: Carol Nolan (IND) – 9594; Tony McCormack (FF) – 7929; John Clendennen (FG) – 7620; Aoife Masterson (SF) – 7536; Eddie Fitzpatrick (IND) – 4113. Claire Murray (FF), Fergus McDonnell (Ind Ire), Pippa Hackett (Green Party), Keisha Taylor (PBP), Mike Boylan (IND), and Maureen Ward (Aontu) were all eliminated.
