Keogan becomes first woman in Ireland elected to two electoral areas

Sharon Keogan has made history as the first woman in Ireland to take a seat in two electoral areas. 

 Keogan topped the  pole in the Laytown Bettystown area where she is a sitting councillor with 2039 votes exceeding the quota by 607 and was elected on the first count.  She has also been elected in the Ashbourne area where she narrowly missed out in a seat in Ashbourne by just 11 votes in 2014. 

Speaking on the victory she says, 

“I am absolutely thrilled. It is a massive  achievement to take two independent seats and the first time it’s ever been done by a woman. 

“I am feeling so emotional about it. I worked really hard for those people in both areas for the past five years every single day.  I represent them every single day, that has been reflected in the Laytown/Bettystown area.  I have a full time office dedicated to the people in Duleek. I’ve been with the community in good times and bad. ”

Spreading the word...Sharon Keogan elected in both Ashbourne and Laytown/Bettystown

“I have worked for five years every day. Voters on the doorsteps were aware of the track record that I have for delivery for their area. It was a very different campaign this time and it felt very different from the start. 

“I was confident that I was going to take a seat, didn’t know which seat I was going to take.”

“I missed out by 11 votes in Ashbourne the last time but I still worked with the people there and I was always on the ground for those people when things went wrong.”

Keogan will now have to decide whether she will retain her seat in Laytown/ Bettystown or take a seat in Ashbourne,  something she may try to challenge as she explains, 

“There are rules there that within in three days I have to choose, I don’t think it’s very democratic in my opinion. Kevin Callan in Drogheda is also in the same position having secured two seats, Kevin is a barrister so we may look at a constitutional challenge on it. 

“People of that area know that I will not leave them for the next five years. I will take that seat, I will have that office in Stamullen. People have voted for Sharon keogan and they are going to get Sharon Keogan.”