2019 Donegal County Council election

An election to Donegal County Council took place on 24 May 2019 as part of the Irish local elections. 37 councillors were elected for a five-year term of office from 7 local electoral areas (LEAs) by single transferable vote.

2019 Donegal County Council election
24 May 2019
All 37 seats to Donegal County Council
19 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Party Fianna Fáil Sinn Féin Fine Gael
Seats won 12 10 6
Seat change 1 1
  Fourth party Fifth party
 
Party Labour Party Independent
Seats won 1 8
Seat change 2
Map showing the area of Donegal County Council

Following a recommendation of the 2018 Boundary Committee, the boundaries of the LEAs were altered from those used in the 2014 elections.[1][2] Its terms of reference required no change in the total number of councillors but set a lower maximum LEA size of seven councillors, whereas Donegal in 2015 had LEAs of 10 and 9 seats. Other changes were necessitated by population shifts revealed by the 2016 census.

Fianna Fáil gained an additional seat to reach 12 and also saw a slight increase in their vote share. Anthony Molloy - who captained the Donegal GAA team to the 1992 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship - won a seat for the party, as did rally driver Manus Kelly (both for the first time). However, Seamus O Domhnaill - Fianna Fáil's outgoing Cathaoirleach - was a notable casualty, as was former Senator Enda Bonner.

Unlike other performances around the State, Sinn Féin actually gained a seat in Donegal; increasing their numbers by 1 to 10 seats while seeing a slight reduction in vote share. Fine Gael retained 6 seats overall, while Independents saw a reduction of 2 seats. One Independent elected was John O'Donnell, who attracted controversy following an RTÉ Investigates programme into Irish Councillors.

Results by party
Party Seats ± 1st pref FPv% ±%
Fianna Fáil 12 1 21,142 29.35% 0.25%
Sinn Féin 10 1 13,953 19.37% 0.23%
Fine Gael 6 13,327 18.50% 2.80%
Labour Party 1 1,927 2.68% 1.12%
Aontú 0 2,265 3.14% 3.14%
People Before Profit 0 284 0.39% 1.02%
Renua 0 279 0.39% 0.39%
Independent 8 2 18,857 26.18% 3.22%
Total 37 72,034 100.0%

Results by LEA

Buncrana
Buncrana — 5 Seats[3]
PartyCandidateFPv%Count 1Count 2Count 3Count 4Count 5Count 6Count 7Count 8Count 9
Fianna Fáil Paul Canning* 20.31% 1,720                
Fianna Fáil Rena Donaghey* 16.96% 1,436                
Sinn Féin Jack Murray* 16.70% 1,414                
Independent Nicholas Crossan* 13.97% 1,183 1,257 1,263 1,275 1,339 1,410 1,411 1,527  
Sinn Féin Terry Crossan 9.54% 808 880 902 903 928 995 996 1,012 1,098
Fine Gael Mickey Doherty* 6.28% 532 588 599 601 608 624 624 739 835
Independent Frankie Lavelle 4.40% 373 399 405 408 507 565 565 597  
Fine Gael Michelle McKenna 3.75% 318 353 356 359 371 403 403    
Aontú Joe Murphy 3.59% 304 319 329 331          
Independent Sinéad Stewart 3.41% 289 315 337 338 367        
Independent Mark McKinney 1.09% 92 96              
Electorate: 16,798   Valid: 8,469   Spoilt: 143   Quota: 1,412   Turnout: 51.27%

    Carndonagh
    Carndonagh — 4 Seats[4]
    PartyCandidateFPv%Count 1Count 2Count 3Count 4Count 5Count 6
    Fianna Fáil Martin McDermott* 34.59% 2,501          
    Labour Party Martin Farren* 19.11% 1,383 1,435 1,470      
    Sinn Féin Albert Doherty* 15.91% 1,151 1,413 1,460 1,460    
    Fine Gael Bernard McGuinness* 14.41% 1,043 1,323 1,355 1,362 1,368 1,448
    Fianna Fáil Marie Duffy 8.67% 627 1,022 1,057 1,060 1,066 1,156
    Independent Tracy Cullen 3.90% 282 311 347 352 352  
    Aontú Mary Rose Doherty 2.69% 195 226        
    Independent Arthur Desmond McGuinness 0.75% 54 58        
    Electorate: 14,062   Valid: 7,236   Spoilt: 94   Quota: 1,448   Turnout: 52.13%

      Donegal
      Donegal — 6 Seats[5]
      PartyCandidateFPv%Count 1Count 2Count 3Count 4Count 5Count 6Count 7Count 8Count 9Count 10Count 11Count 12Count 13Count 14
      Independent Niamh Kennedy* 10.77% 1,540 1,544 1,568 1,585 1,661 1,682 1,749 1,759 1,938 2,031 2,322      
      Sinn Féin Noel Jordan* 10.74% 1,535 1,550 1,557 1,573 1,598 1,609 1,690 1,693 1,731 1,873 2,033 2,087    
      Fianna Fáil Michéal Naughton* 8.34% 1,192 1,205 1,213 1,224 1,227 1,235 1,236 1,413 1,536 1,612 1,648 1,661 1,742 1,924
      Fine Gael Barry Sweeny 7.81% 1,116 1,126 1,151 1,215 1,217 1,263 1,264 1,353 1,360 1,376 1,424 1,432 1,917 1,958
      Fine Gael John McNulty 6.84% 978 978 978 980 1,106 1,106 1,148 1,153 1,199 1,214 1,393 1,453 1,463 1,547
      Independent Tom Conaghan* 6.60% 944 979 987 993 1,000 1,004 1,017 1,028 1,058 1,272 1,373 1,397 1,435 1,831
      Sinn Féin Michael McMahon 6.29% 900 902 924 973 974 1,186 1,190 1,446 1,462 1,470 1,474 1,478 1,749 1,798
      Independent Seamus Maguire* 6.07% 868 880 896 907 923 927 939 939 961 1,106 1,163 1,176 1,194  
      Independent Billy Grimes 6.07% 868 873 895 951 952 989 989 1,043 1,050 1,057 1,067 1,075    
      Fine Gael John J Boyle 5.53% 791 793 793 795 810 810 886 888 970 1,001        
      Independent Pauric Kennedy 5.14% 735 751 754 760 760 763 780 783 802          
      Fianna Fáil Philip McGlynn 3.64% 521 522 528 533 533 576 582              
      Fianna Fáil Eimear McGuinness 3.48% 497 498 502 506 527 527 591 631            
      Fianna Fáil Roger Meehan 3.38% 483 484 485 487 503 504                
      Independent Diarmaid Doherty 2.72% 389 394 399 432 432                  
      Independent Seán Ó Beirne 2.27% 325 325 329 331                    
      People Before Profit Cyril Brennan 1.99% 284 288 319                      
      Independent Valerie McNulty 1.36% 194 196                        
      Independent Justin Coughlin 0.97% 138                          
      Electorate: 23,075   Valid: 14,298   Spoilt: 165   Quota: 2,043   Turnout: 62.68%

        Glenties
        Glenties — 6 Seats[6]
        PartyCandidateFPv%Count 1Count 2Count 3Count 4Count 5Count 6Count 7Count 8Count 9
        Independent Micheál Choilm Mac Giolla Easbuig* 15.80% 2,007                
        Sinn Féin John Sheamuis Ó Fearraigh* 11.25% 1,429 1,464 1,501 1,558 1,740 1,750 1,782 2,050  
        Sinn Féin Maire Therese Gallagher* 8.57% 1,089 1,103 1,152 1,241 1,286 1,324 1,615 1,658 1,693
        Fianna Fáil Noreen McGarvey 8.01% 1,018 1,023 1,043 1,103 1,155 1,171 1,402 1,499 1,506
        Fine Gael Michael McClafferty 7.97% 1,012 1,033 1,038 1,061 1,314 1,341 1,376 1,721 1,799
        Fianna Fáil Seamus O Domhnaill* 7.71% 979 1,071 1,079 1,095 1,153 1,161 1,222    
        Sinn Féin Brian Carr 7.26% 922 932 934 978 988 1,211 1,263 1,282 1,290
        Fianna Fáil Anthony Molloy 7.21% 916 928 932 964 999 1,400 1,574 1,702 1,713
        Fianna Fáil Enda Bonner* 7.03% 893 914 926 975 1,023 1,056      
        Independent Liam Whyte 6.47% 822 844 856 910 934        
        Fine Gael Evelyn Sweeney 5.7% 724 737 758 822          
        Labour Party Seamus Rodgers 4.28% 544 562 584            
        Aontú Liam Mulligan 2.75% 349                
        Electorate: 23,165   Valid: 12,704   Spoilt: 147   Quota: 1,815   Turnout: 55.48%

          Letterkenny
          Letterkenny — 7 Seats[7]
          PartyCandidateFPv%Count 1Count 2Count 3Count 4Count 5Count 6Count 7Count 8Count 9
          Fianna Fáil Ciaran Brogan* 13.41% 1,570                
          Fine Gael Jimmy Kavanagh* 10.53% 1,233 1,245 1,255 1,271 1,312 1,367 1,701    
          Fianna Fáil Donal Coyle 10.18% 1,192 1,209 1,211 1,231 1,249 1,273 1,348 1,389 1,444
          Independent Michael McBride* 9.75% 1,141 1,155 1,159 1,174 1,297 1,360 1,430 1,464  
          Independent Kevin Bradley 8.48% 993 1,009 1,024 1,050 1,127 1,210 1,294 1,347 1,465
          Fianna Fáil Manus Mandy Kelly†† 7.74% 906 924 932 948 1,003 1,028 1,124 1,171 1,374
          Aontú Mary T Sweeney 7.31% 856 860 876 906 932 974 1,041 1,057 1,108
          Sinn Féin Gerry McMonagle* 7.17% 839 845 873 903 926 972 995 1,003 1,398
          Sinn Féin Adrian Glackin* 6.83% 799 804 813 838 877 935 957 969  
          Fine Gael Bernie Moran 6.33% 741 746 750 762 794 885      
          Independent Thoiba Ahmed 4.48% 525 527 571 637 653        
          Independent Charlie McClafferty 3.92% 459 464 471 491          
          Independent Cathal McGlynn 2.14% 251 252 294            
          Independent Finnian O'Donnell 1.72% 201 202              
          Electorate: 22,826   Valid: 11,706   Spoilt: 130   Quota: 1,464   Turnout: 51.85%

            Lifford–Stranorlar
            Lifford–Stranorlar — 6 Seats[8]
            PartyCandidateFPv%Count 1Count 2Count 3Count 4Count 5Count 6Count 7Count 8
            Fine Gael Martin Harley* 17.16% 1,688              
            Fianna Fáil Patrick McGowan* 16.32% 1,606              
            Sinn Féin Gary Doherty* 15.97% 1,571              
            Fianna Fáil Gerry Crawford* 13.92% 1,369 1,393 1,468          
            Fine Gael Frank McBrearty Jnr*† 9.81% 965 1,016 1,041 1,052 1,058 1,079 1,131 1,208
            Sinn Féin Liam Doherty* 7.56% 744 776 799 924 929 974 1,036 1,195
            Fine Gael Garvan Connolly 7.25% 713 811 846 857 969 893 950 1,041
            Independent Alan McMenamin 4.82% 474 514 531 537        
            Renua Maghnus Monaghan 2.84% 279 289 296 301 310 317    
            Aontú John Hartnett 2.27% 223 231 238 240 245 264    
            Independent Michael De Ward 2.09% 206 225 236 241 244      
            Electorate: 20,389   Valid: 9,838   Spoilt: 160   Quota: 1,406   Turnout: 49.01%

              Milford
              Milford — 3 Seats[9]
              PartyCandidateFPv%Count 1Count 2Count 3Count 4Count 5
              Independent John O'Donnell* 25.17% 1,959        
              Fianna Fáil Liam Blaney* 22.05% 1,716 1,812 1,968    
              Independent Ian McGarvey* 10.34% 805 893 1,062 1,219 1,522
              Sinn Féin Maria Doherty 9.66% 752 780 885 1,035  
              Fine Gael Noel McBride 9.61% 748 793 845    
              Fine Gael Eimer Friel 9.32% 725 747 886 1,213 1,412
              Independent Declan Meehan 8.70% 677 722      
              Aontú Dermot Hardy 4.34% 338        
              Independent Charlie McGinley 0.81% 63        
              Electorate: 12,066   Valid: 7,783   Spoilt: 75   Quota: 1,946   Turnout: 65.13%

                Changes since 2019

                References

                Citations
                1. Local Electoral Area Boundary Committee No. 1 (13 June 2018). "Report 2018" (PDF). Government Publications. pp. 36–39, 145. ISBN 978-1-4064-2990-9. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
                2. Phelan, John Paul (19 December 2018). "S.I. No. 613/2018 - County of Donegal Local Electoral Areas Order 2018". electronic Irish Statute Book (eISB). Retrieved 8 May 2019.
                3. "Buncrana LEA Counts 1-9" (PDF). donegalcoco.ie. Donegal County Council. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
                4. "Cardonagh LEA Counts 1-10" (PDF). donegalcoco.ie. Donegal County Council. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
                5. "Local Elections Results 2019". donegalcoco.ie. Donegal County Council. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
                6. "Glenties LEA Counts 1-9" (PDF). donegalcoco.ie. Donegal County Council. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
                7. "Letterkenny LEA Counts 1-9" (PDF). donegalcoco.ie. Donegal County Council. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
                8. "Lifford-Stranorlar LEA Counts 1-8" (PDF). donegalcoco.ie. Donegal County Council. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
                9. "Mildford LEA Counts 1-5" (PDF). donegalcoco.ie. Donegal County Council. Retrieved 28 May 2019.

                Sources
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