General Election: Pat 'The Cope' Gallagher returned to Dáil

Pat ‘The Cope’ Gallagher has been elected back to the Dáil.

The veteran Burtonport man was returned on the 15th count for the Donegal constituency in the early hours of Monday morning.

Gallagher, who earned 10,262 first preference votes, claimed the third seat in the Donegal constituency and his election comes four-and-a-half years after losing out in the 2020 General Election.

Gallagher’s vote rose by over 2,700 from 2020 with significant increases in Dungloe.

Gallagher showed significant increases in ballot boxes in Roisin NS, Belcruit, Acres. In most ballot boxes in his own Glenties Municipal District Gallagher’s numbers increased. 

“I have been working for the people all my life,” Gallagher told Donegal Live. 

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“I am a people person. It was a great honour for me still when people in the constituency would come to me. They had confidence in me and they asked me to assist in their areas. It was a natural progression during that period.

“I got a tremendous vote in my home area. Every vote I got was as important to me. People wanted their TD back in my area and I was happy to be in the position again.”