Battle of Banagher very close as race for last three seats in Offaly goes on
Cllr Clare Claffey improves but newcomer Jonathan O'Meara only 20 votes behind her
THE race for the last three seats in the Birr Electoral Area has tightened up after the results of the eighth count.
When Mike Boylan's votes were distributed, first time candidate Jonathan O'Meara narrowed the gap to Social Democrats councillor Clare Claffey to just 20.
Though O'Meara, who is aligned with Independent TD Carol Nolan, remains in last place he is just 20 votes behind Cllr Claffey.
Meanwhile, Clare Claffey is now only 112 votes behind Fianna Fail's Barbara Daly. Geography came into play when Boylan's votes were being transferred as the other Banagher-based candidates O'Meara and Claffey fared best, getting 153 and 116 votes respectively.
Clare Claffey is attempting to repeat her feat five years ago when her transfer friendliness saw her climb the league table and eventually secure election to the council for the first time.
Meanwhile in this evening's count, Hugh Egan (FG), Sean Maher (SF) and Audrey Hennessy Kennedy (FF) are out in front but a long way off the quota.
The next step is to distribute John Clendennen's surplus of 69.
Full details of the Eighth Count in the Birr Electoral Area -
Count 8
Distribution of Mike Boylan (645 votes)
Quota 1,712
Six seats: three already filled -
Peter Ormond – FF – 1,943 (elected)
John Leahy – Ind - 1,815 (elected)
John Clendennen – FG – 1,781 (elected)
Hugh Egan – FG – 1,307 + 71 Total: 1,378
Sean Maher – SF – 1,089 + 45 Total: 1,134
Audrey Hennessy Kennedy – FF – 1,039 + 44 Total: 1,083
Barbara Daly – FF – 979 + 33 Total: 1,012
Clare Claffey – SD - 784 + 116 Total: 900
Jonathan O'Meara – 727 + 153 Total: 880