5 key takeaways from Mayo's county town tallies
The votes are tallied in Castlebar, and the picture is becoming clear. Alan Dillon has delivered a commanding performance in his hometown, leaving Lisa Chambers and other candidates trailing significantly.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Fianna Fáil at sea in Castlebar
Lisa Chambers faces a tough reality in Castlebar, as her hopes for securing a second Fianna Fáil seat in this constituency appear increasingly slim. Despite a high-profile campaign featuring Micheál Martin’s visit to Castlebar and backing from the influential Flynn family, Chambers’ performance hasn’t hit the mark.
In the Clogher National School tally, where Chambers narrowly beat Alan Dillon in 2020 with 95 votes to his 92, the tables have turned. Chambers’ vote count has fallen to 75, while Dillon’s popularity has surged, leaving Fianna Fáil looking disorganised in its former stronghold.
2. Dillon dominates in his backyard
Alan Dillon has proven himself a political powerhouse in Castlebar. His first-preference vote count reached an impressive 5,800, cementing his position as the lead candidate in the district. The tallies show Dillon outperforming all competitors, confirming his status as a favourite in this election cycle. His local appeal and strong campaign presence have clearly resonated with voters.
3. Rose Conway-Walsh sees a dip but stays strong
Sinn Féin’s Rose Conway-Walsh has seen her vote share in Castlebar drop by a third compared to 2020. While she secured 3,000 first-preference votes in the district during the last election, this time she’s down to 2,000. Despite this decline, she remains on track to make history as the first woman to top the poll in Mayo, shackling off any concerns about a Sinn Féin loss in this constituency.
4. Kerr’s solid performance in urban centres
Stephen Kerr has emerged as a notable headline, particularly in Mayo’s two largest urban areas, Ballina and Castlebar. Where has Conway-Walsh’s 1,000 in Castlebar gone to? Well Kerr’s tally includes over 1,000 votes in Castlebar alone, and he has polled consistently in Ballina too, securing between 20 and 40 votes across various national schools in the district. A performance which suggests he has successfully captured a portion of the anti-Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael vote that boosted Conway-Walsh in 2020.
5. Lawless remains in the reckoning
Paul Lawless has also shown a strong presence in Castlebar, but trailed behind Kerr in the district. While his position for the final seat remains uncertain, Lawless’ team is optimistic about benefiting from the transfers of Kerr and other like-minded independents.