Galway Advertiser 1979/1979_06_14/GA_14061979_E1_016.pdf 

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Candidates Disppointed With Low City Poll
There were several shocks in the Borough Council elections that took both candidates and the electorate by surprise. Fintan Coogan pulled a hat-trick by being elected to two city wards and to the County Council; outgoing Mayor of Galway John F. King is just pipped to a place at the Council table and Independent Councillors Sheila Jordan and Tom Tierney are not re-elected. Fintan Coogan's achieve ment, however, captured everyone's attention and won wide applause. Fintan set out to win a place in all three of the city wards to vindicate his long standing reputation as a public representative. Very much the ould school politician, the city was shocked two years ago when Fintan was dropped from Fine Gael (which he served as a city T.D. for 20 years) after He refused to Support his party's candi date for a Council cooption. Fintan held that the thirteenth man--that is the last candidate to be elimin ated in the 12 person city council--should be auto John F. King, the only outgoing city Mayor not to be re elected. Defeated in the 10th count in the North/East Ward. matically elected. Clearly the gods were on to the postal dispute meant Fintan's side. He has won a that many voters simply resounding victory and as if stayed at home. to re-inforce his stand the Fine Gael candidate Mrs. Aid. Michael D. Higgins Anna McHugh who Fintan commented that it was the was asked to s u p p o r t worst Register of Electors originally and who went he had ever experienced. He forward this time--was alleged that families moving defeated. The party total on the from one area of the city to Borough Council is: Fianna Also Mrs. Sheila Jordan, another were prematurely Fail 5 (3 last time); Fine an outspoken former Alder removed from the Register. Gael 1(1); Labour 1(1) and Voters also complained man and Mayor who Fintan Independents 5 (7). accused of playing a part in that although their names T o t a l city e l e c t o r a t e : his downfall failed to be re appeared on the Draft 27,091. elected. Register, when they went to Poll: 13,521. vote they were told their I n v a l i d votes: 13. names were not recorded. Many new candidates did exceptionally well. Mary NORTH/EAST WARD Bennett, Salthill polled 388 First preference votes: first preferences but was not Electorate: 11,800 elected. " I t was a wonderful Valid poll: 5,800 e x p e r i e n c e , " she said. Quota: 967 "Calling to people at their Coogan F. (Ind.) 431 homes and hearing some of Dillon B. (S.F.W.P.) 247 their problems has made a Fox J. (F.G.) 157 deep impression on me." Heaney N . (Ind.) . . . 405 Walter Regan, Claddagh Higgins M. D. (Lab.) 930 polled 417 first preferences Holland B. (Ind.) . . . 415 but was narrowly defeated. Jordan S. (Ind.) 356 He also enjoyed the experi Sheila Jordan, a former Kenny P. (Lab.) 136 Mayor and an outspoken ence and stood for the long King J. F. ( I n d . ) . . . . 378 hours of the count quite Borough Councillor defeated Leahy M. (F.F.) . . . . 693 on the 8th count in the happily. " I just love McHugh A. (F.G.) . . 279 politics," he remarked, "my North/East Ward. O'Connor H. (F.F.) . 339 mother was deeply inter NEW FACES O'Flaherty B. (F.F.) . 524 New members of the ested in history and politics. Tierney T . (Ind.) . . . 240 Borough Council include I must get it from her." Walsh P. (F.G.) 270 Michael Leahy from RenHiggins elected 2nd more who polled the third count. Re-count called for highest vote in the city after by Heaney on 10th count. two popular old timers Coogan, Leahy, Holland Michael D. Higgins and and O'Flaherty elected 12th Micheal O hUiginn who are count. both returned as Aldermen. Other Aldermen are Fintan Coogan and Gerry Molloy. More new faces are Tom Browne, Shantalla and Claude Toft, Salthill, a former Councillor and a late entrant in the race won the third seat in the South Ward. WEST WARD First preference votes: Electorate: 9,851 Valid poll: 4,465 Quota: 894 Browne T. (Ind.) 570 Byrne M. (F.F.) . . . . 602 Coffey T. (S.F.W.P.) 306 Conneely P. (F.G.) . . 443 Coogan F. ( I n d . ) . . . . 565 Horan J. (Ind.) 229 Keogh M. (Ind.) . . . . 182 Mullan M. (F.F.) . . . 226 Murray J. ( L a b . ) . . . . 388 O'Connell M. (F.G.) 249 O'Higgins M. ( F . F . ) . 705 O'Higgins elected 7th count; Browne elected 7th count; Coogan elected 8th count; Mary Bryne elected without reaching quota.

Who Will Be Co-opted?
F i n t a n C o o g a n ' s r e m a r k a b l e s c o r e of two B o r o u g h C o u n c i l seats h a s i m m e d i a t e l y given C o u n c i l l o r s t h e task of co-opting one o t h e r m e m b e r . C o - o p t i o n s a r e always frought with difficulties. No s o o n e r w a s the last Councillor ' h o m e ' last weekend t h a n s p e c u l a t i o n began as to w h o the twelfth m a n would b e . T h e choice p r o b a b l y lies with the five F i a n n a Fail m e m b e r s w h o will c e r t a i n l y w a n t to increase t h e i r p r e s e n c e to a c o m f o r t a b l e m a j o r i t y . A l t h o u g h m a n y people feel t h a t the defeated o u t g o i n g M a j o r J o h n F r a n c i s King s h o u l d be the o b v i o u s choice, F i a n n a F a i l will p r o b a b l y not a g r e e . J o h n F r a n c i s King is not a F i a n n a Fail s u p p o r t e r b u t C o u n c i l ' s n e w c o m e r C l a u d e Toft is. M r . Toft, a l t h o u g h s t a n d i n g as a n I n d e p e n d e n t openly s u p p o r t s F i a n n a F a i l a n d clearly could b e relied u p o n t o d o so in t h e f u t u r e . It m a y be u p to C l a u d e to n o m i n a t e his choice. In t h a t case it will not be M a r y B e n n e t t o r J o h n F . King. C l a u d e m a y choose F . F . c a n d i d a t e M a r t i n Connolly f r o m C l a d d a g h which will give F.F. a m a j o r i t y on t h e council of seven a n d probably t h e M a y o r a l h a t to C l a u d e in the f u t u r e !

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Position of Parties on City Council

Walter Regan of the Clad dagh who made an excellent showing in his bid to be elected to the Borough Council in the South Ward. SOUTH WARD First preference votes: Electorate: 5,440 Valid poll: 3,143 Quota: 786 Bennett M. (F.F.) . . . 388 Brick J. S.F.W.P.) . . 151 Connolly M. ( F . F . ) . . 220 Coogan, F. (Ind.) . . . 221 Jordan G. (Ind.) 43 Molloy G. ( F . F . ) . . . . 534 Monaghan T. (F.G.). 262 McNamara P. (F.G.) 343 Regan W. (Ind.) . . . . 417 Rodgers, M. ( L a b . ) . . 133 Toft, C. (Ind.) 431 Molloy elected 8th count. McNamara and Toft elected 9th count.
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Daragh Walters, grandson of the Returning Officer Mr. P. J. Watters, at the Borough Council count in St. Patrick's School, takes an interest in local politics.

GALWAY COUNTY COUNCIL
First preference votes. Galway Electoral Area. 9 seats; electorate 43,087; total poll 24,419; spoiled votes 409; valid poll 24,010; quota 2,402. Higgins M. D. (Lab.) 3,434 McCormack P. (F.G.) 2,021 Ruane P. (Pro. S.F.) 1,966 Coogan F. (Ind.) 1,856 Welby, T. (F.F.) 1,732 O hUiginn M. (F.F.) 1,719 Molloy John (F.F.) 1,648 O Foighil P. (F.G.) 1,338 O Neachtain S. (F.F.) 1,184 Holland B. (Ind.) 1,150 Kenny F. (F.F.) 1,140 Dempsey P. (F.F.) 1,136 Donnellan S. (F.F.) 914 Coffey T. (S.F.W.P.) 872 O Lochlainn G. (F.G.) 802 Byrnes N . (F.G.) 648 Hannigan T. (F.G.) 338 Kenny P. (Lab.) 312

Padraic McCorntack, the popular Renmore County Councillor who was re-elected to the Council in the city electoral area.

Pol O'Foighil (F.G.) wins a seat on the County Council. Respected as a dynamic worker, Mr. O'Foighil re presents Gaeltacht interests. (all F.F.). *Donnellan, J., T.D.; *Mannion, J., T.D.; *Connaughton, P.; *McCormack, P.; *Kilgannon, M.; Brennan, J.; O'Foighil, P.; Ryan, M.; *Byrne, T.; *Burke, U.; Burke, E. (all F.G.). *Higgins, M. (Lab.). *Ruane, P. and *Glynn, F. (Prov. S.F.). *Coogan, F. (Ind.) and *Holland, B. (Ind.). S t a t e of P a r t i e s : F.F. 15; F.G. 11; L a b . 1; P r o v . S.F. 2; Ind. 2. Outgoing Council: F.F. 16; F.G. 9; Lab. 1; Prov. S.F. 2; Ind. 3.

REGISTER COMPLAINTS Confusion over voter's polling booths and the absence of polling cards were blamed for the low city turnout of the electorate. Candidates expressed their deep disappointment at the low poll; and the unavail ability of polling cards due

The Complete County Council
* Denotes outgoing. *Callinan, J., T . D . ; *Killilea, M., T.D.; *Kitt, M.; *Joyce, J.; *0'Morain, M.; *Welby, T.; *Molloy, J.; O hUiginn, M.; *Bartley, G ; O'Connor, N.; *Fahey, F.; Fahy, M.; *Haverty, E.; Murphy, T.; Finnegan, P.

Tom Tierney, the man who built the Labour Party in the d*y> gave 24 years service to the Harbour Board and Borough Council, was defeat ed on the fourth count in the North/East Ward.

Triumphant Bridie O'Flaherty (F.F.) from Mervue is congratulated by her husband Larry and daughter Betty following her re-election to the Borough Council.
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