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1st March 2016 • Volume 23, Issue 07 • Leader House, North Street, Swords, Co. Dublin. EirCode: K67 P5W4. • Tel: 01 8•400•200 • info@northcountyleader.ie • www.northcountyleader.ie
A Momentous Weekend The people of the North County have spoken and just like their counterparts all over the country, they have dealt a crushing blow to the Government parties.
Labour, and his seat was targeted as being vulnerable, particularly by other contestants and their advisers. But this was to underestimate the vastly experienced and well oiled Dr Reilly’s demise sent By Patrick Finnegan Ryan political machine, shockwaves across the spearheaded by his country and it set the trend He polled an impressive brother, Sean a former for a difficult day for both 10,826 first preference well-known TD in the area. comfortably Fine Gael and Labour, votes, His election, as one of only exceeding the quota of which was evident from six Labour candidates at very early on, as a day of 10,065. It was evident from the time of going to press, shocks unfolded. Despite early on that O’Brien was and one of only two in his impending downfall, Dr polling strongly in all areas Dublin, along with party Reilly dutifully arrived at of the constituency. leader, Joan Burton in the count centre at the O’Brien was delighted after neighbouring Dublin his election and told this National Show Centre in West, is truly Cloghran to support his reporter, ““I’m delighted remarkable. running mate, the yet to be personally, but especially Ryan spoke elected Alan Farrell. It is a for our hard working team to the County here. We had a very good testament to his Leader about courage and profesOn Page s his success sionalism that he 10 & 11 and his first faced the waiting thoughts were to local and national fallen colleagues and media, where he friends who had lost performed with their seats all over the dignity and aplomb. country. He said, “One History was in the one level I’m very making too, with happy, when I realised Louise O’Reilly being that I was going to be elected as the first elected, but it has Sinn Fein TD to been a difficult day represent people of watching my the North County. colleagues losing However the backtheir seats. It’s not as lash against the exciting a day as I Government parties would have liked and was not as profound it’s a bittersweet day here as it was in There was great anticipation as the first boxes were opened on Saturday morning for me.” When asked other constituencies, with Fine Gael’s Alan Farrell campaign with people who Labour’s Brendan Ryan, if he was surprised at being worked so hard with me who bucked the national elected, he paid tribute to retaining his seat. The performance of Fianna over the last four to five trend against Labour. He his hard working team of Fail’s Darragh O’Brien was years in rebuilding our was elected without supporters. “I’m not quite exceptional, with the party. Our four councillors, reaching the quota on surprised, as we’ve been popular Malahide man Brian Dennehy, Darragh Sunday afternoon, along working hard for the last five years and since 2007 being elected on the first Butler, Adrian Henchy and with Farrell and O’Reilly. count. What a difference Eoghan O’Brien have been It had been widely antici- we have have been from five years ago, when absolutely magnificent and pated that Ryan would working hard. We have a he narrowly lost out in the have been a credit to the have been included in the very good, competent surge against Fianna Fail. party. We’re building on a national heave against young team, who are well wonderful local election vote last year. This is a massive day and I am humbled by the vote, and hopefully I have demonstrated that over the last 11 years as a public representative that I can make an impact at a national level,” he said. We would not, however, be drawn on the possible make-up of the next government. Clare Daly, as widely expected performed strongly and she was next to be elected. However, for many observers, the standout performance of the election in this constituency was the performance of
PICTURE SPECIAL
End Of Road For Respected Minister
Minister James Reilly is pictured with his wife, Dorothy and Councillor Anthony Lavin at the count centre on Sunday. Dr Reilly spoke to the County Leader about why he thought the electorate of Dublin Fingal rejected him. See full story on page 12
able to win votes at the doorsteps. The quality of our team has been second to none and we came off every canvas with great confidence,” he said. When asked about how he sees the formation of the next government, he had very definite views. “The two biggest parties have got to step up to the plate, like we did in 2011 and we were punished for it this time. Now it’s time for Fine Gael and Fianna Fail to put past differences behind them and provide a stable government for the next five years,” he said. The real drama was reserved for Sunday afternoon, when history was made in this very historic year, when Louise O’Reilly secured Sinn Fein’s first seat from this constituency in the Dail. This sense of history was not lost on the Sinn Fein leadership, when Gerry Adams, Martin McGuinness and Mary Lou McDonald all turned up to congratulate O’Reilly on her election. Continued on page 3
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