Paul McNamara in line to top the poll in Belmullet

The Belmullet electoral area saw a spread of votes split by an increased ticket of candidates in 2024, but the result looks likely to mirror 2019's poll.

Paul McNamara saw off a challenge from Fine Gael’s Tiernaur candidate, Pat Chambers to top the poll in the Belmullet electoral area. The Achill native romped home along with party colleague, Sean Carey.

Rosaleen Lally Dixon of Sinn Féin failed to get the required support in Erris to get elected, a huge blow to Rose Conway Walsh’s brand as she is viewed to have failed to get Lally over the line.

A slight increase in the vote for Paul McNamara of 31 votes according to tallies and an almost quarter share of the vote in the Belmullet ward will come as a boost to the party in Mayo, 1,696 first preference votes he received in 2019 and his tally figures indicate 1,727 for 2024.

Gerry Coyle looks to have lost 400 votes from his buoyant 2019 campaign, but a challenge from John Paul Carey in Bangor Erris failed to damage the long-serving Geesala native.

Incidentally, Coyle was complemented not compromised by former IFA man Pat Chambers in Tiernaur who tallied well in Ballycroy and his native area but couldn’t unseat McNamara’s loyal Achill support despite his connections with the agricultural community on the island.

Sean Carey increased his votes from 2019’s result of 1604, sewing up areas at the end of the Mullet peninsula, a part of the county that has seen swift delivery of tourism infrastructure in Ionad Deirbhle aiming to boost visitor numbers to Blacksod along the Wild Atlantic Way.