FF and FG on top in Cork South West
The 140 boxes containing the votes for the Cork South West constituency were opened under the command of returning officer Jerome O’Sullivan at 9am.
Immediately 26 counters at Clonakilty Community Hall propelled into action with at least 60 tally men and women leaning over their shoulder to catch a glimpse of how things were emerging.
One of the biggest constituencies in the country, Cork South West stretches from Kinsale in the east to the Beara and Mizen peninsulas in the west.
The total electorate for this election was 61,577 which is an increase of 7,303 on 2002’s figure.
The turnout in the constituency was around 66%.
Boxes on the eastern side of the constituency were opened first, and according to an early tally carried out by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, Jim O’Keeffe of FG was showing the strongest result, followed by sitting FF TD Denis O’Donovan.
A battle for the third seat looked like a race between FG’s Paddy Sheehan, who was performing strongest, Labour’s Michael McCarthy and FF’s Christy O’Sullivan, who seemed to be doing stronger than most pundits expected.
The final two candidates for this three seater constituency, Cionnaith Ó Sulleabháin for Sinn Féin and Quintan Gargin for the Green Party, were only making slight inroads, according to the early tally.
Chief tallyman for Fianna Fáil, local councillor Seamus O’Brien said the party was happy with this morning’s exit poll: “It’s a good result. I just hope that transfers into results.
“But I do believe FF can hold onto its two seats in west Cork,” said Mr O’Brien.
Meanwhile, the FG camp are disappointed with the exit poll, but if early indications are anything to go by, then their main man Jim O’Keeffe need not worry.
