General Election: Pearse Doherty tops Donegal poll on first count

Pearse Doherty has comfortably topped the poll in the Donegal constituency.

The Sinn Fein representative gained 18,898 first preferences - exceeding the quota by 12,771 votes. 

Doherty’s number ones represented 24.7 per cent of the votes cast.

Doherty was deemed to be elected on the first count by returning officer Geraldine O’Connor at 10.30pm in the Aura Leisure Centre in Letterkenny.

“I am very humbled at the people who came out and gave me their number 1 vote right across Donegal,” Doherty said.

The 47-year-old was first elected to Dáil Éireann in a by-election in November 2009. That came after two unsuccessful bids in the then Donegal South West constituency,

He topped the poll in 2011, also in Donegal South West, before getting into the newly-redrawn Donegal constituency in 2016 on the eighth count.

In February 2020, Doherty topped the poll in Donegal when taking 21,044 first preferences and the Sinn Fein deputy leader has again led the way. His party colleague Pádraig Mac Lochlainn is also poised to retain his seat when counting resumes on Sunday.

He said: “Absolutely delighted. We had a seismic election four-and-a-half years ago where Sinn Fein took a massive vote.

Read next: General Election: Pearse Doherty says Sinn Féin 'the people's choice in Donegal'

“That has now happened again so it is clear that we are the peoples’ choice in Donegal. I am very humbled at the people who came out and gave me their number 1 vote right across Donegal. It’s fantastic.”

Doherty’s surplus will be distributed. 

Pat 'The Cope' Gallagher took 10,924 first preferences with Pádraig Mac Lochlainn taking 9,799 and Charlie McConalogue, the sitting Minister for Agriculture, claiming 8,019.

First time candidate Charles Ward, of the 100% Redress Party, gained 6,862 votes and Independent Thomas Pringle was given 5,289 votes 

Donegal Constituency - First Count

Bradley - Nikki, Fine Gael - 3,658
Bradley - Vincent J, Independent - 111
Carr - Nuala, Green Party - 880
Doherty - Pearse, Sinn Féin - 18,898
Gallagher - Carol, People Before Profit - 606
Gallagher - Pat the Cope, Fianna Fáil - 10,924
Jordan - Noel, Sinn Féin - 3,321
Kennedy - Claudia, Fianna Fáil - 273
MacLochlainn - Padraig, Sinn Féin - 9,799
McConalogue - Charlie, Fianna Fáil - 8,019
McConnell - Niall, Independent - 1,565
McGee - Eamon, Irish Freedom Party - 383
McGuinness - Arthur, Independent - 34
McKeever - Gerry, Independent - 342
McMenamin - Kim, the Irish People - 531
McNulty - John, Fine Gael - 3,247
O'Donnell - Frank, Independent - 313
Pringle - Thomas, Independent - 5,289
Sweeney - Mary T - Aontú - 2,469
Ward - Charlie - 100 Percent Redress Party - 6,862