Changing of the guard

A seismic shift in the balance of power in the election to Meath County Council saw Fianna Fail drop 8.81 per cent of its vote and lose four of its council seats, a surge in Labour and Fine Gael influence and no less than 13 new faces, including a record eight women. There was drama, shock and some surprises - including a number of recounts - in a long weekend of vote-counting which only ended yesterday (Tuesday) morning. The names of four well-known councillors were listed among the casualties of Election 2009. The 'Cathaoirleach"s Curse" - in which the incumbent chairperson of Meath County Council is toppled - struck again as Fianna Fail"s Liz McCormack lost her seat. She was joined by three of her FF colleagues, Seamus Murray, Jimmy Mangan, Oliver Brooks and Pat Boshell. Also losing their seats were the Green Party"s Tom Kelly, Independents Charles Bobbett and Phil Cantwell, Fine Gael"s veteran councillor Patsy O"Neill and Sinn Fein"s Michael Gallagher. There were dramatic changes in the share of the vote on the county council, with Fianna Fail getting 30% (down 8.81%), Fine Gael 30% (up 3.29%), Labour 12% (up 5.20%), Green Party 1% (down 2.84%), Sinn Fein 8% (down 1.52%) and Independents 19% (up 5.79%). In terms of the number of seats, Fianna Fail lost four, Fine Gael gained two, Labour gained three, both Sinn Fein and the Greens lost one, and Independents gained one. The state of the parties is now: FG 11, FF 8, Labour 4, Independents 5, Sinn Fein 1. Fianna Fail could take some consolation from its party"s performance in the Kells county council electoral area which saw it take 42% of first preference votes while taking 37% in Kells Town Council. On the other hand, its Government partner, the Green Party, had a devastatingly poor election, losing its single county councillor, Tom Kelly, and doing abysmally overall. Joining the county council for the first time are newcomers Francis Deane, Suzanne Jamal, Jenny McHugh, Maria Murphy, Regina Doherty, Niamh McGowan, Oliver Fox, Tracey McElhinney, Ray Butler, Wayne Harding, Seamus O"Neill, Sirena Campbell and Catherine Yore. Up to 5th June, Meath County Council had just three women councillors in its ranks - Liz McCormack, Ann Dillon Gallagher and Jenny D"Arcy (Alison Boyle had been elected in 2004 but later resigned her seat). Ms D"Arcy did not stand in this election so Fine Gael"s Cllr Dillon Gallagher will be joined by eight other women. The elections to the county"s town councils saw some surprises with the two Reilly brothers, Tommy and Christy from Fianna Fail, and Fine Gael"s John Duffy losing their seats in Navan; Sinn Fein"s Caroline Lynch lost out on Trim Town Council. Tommy Reilly did manage to hold onto his county council seat, however. By the time all the votes were counted shortly after midnight on Monday, party workers, council staff and voters were left wondering whether a return to electronic voting might be preferable to the tortuous route taken to the final declarations. There were recounts in Navan Town Council, and the county council areas of Kells, Navan and Dunshaughlin, marooning at least some avid Meath football supporters in the count centres. There were some outstanding performances in the county council areas. The poll-toppers included veteran independent Cllr Brian Fitzgerald in Dunshaughlin area, 2,410 (quota 2,112), FG newcomer Catherine Yore in Kells area 1,751 (quota 2,268), independent newcomer Francis Deane in Navan 1,813 (quota 1,958), Labour"s Eoin Holmes in the Slane area 2,088 (quota 1,838), and Fine Gael"s Ray Butler in the Trim area with 1,933 (quota 1,960). Two of the three candidates for Navan Town Council who included in their election campaign the preservation of Navan"s Fair Green won seats as independents (Phil Brennan, filling his late father Andy"s seat) and Francis Deane, while Mary Vaughan declared herself well satisfied with her showing of 234 first preference votes. and staying on her electoral feet until the sixth count. Fine Gael"s newcomer, Sarah Reilly, topped the poll in Kells Town Council and was elected on the first count with Fianna Fail"s Bryan Reilly and Sean Drew. Veteran Sinn Fein Cllr Joe Reilly topped the poll in Navan Town Council, coming in just two votes short of the quota of 865. In Trim Town Council and Trim county council area, Fine Gael"s Ray Butler brought off the double by topping both polls. He is a sitting town councillor and took a county council seat for the first time.