Landslide predicted for Connolly in Offaly as presidential election count begins

A ballot box from Killeigh National School is opened at the presidential election count for the Offaly constituencyplaceholder image
A ballot box from Killeigh National School is opened at the presidential election count for the Offaly constituency

'She was going for a run' written on one spoiled paper

INDEPENDENT Councillor Sean O'Brien predicted a big victory for Catherine Connolly within minutes of the ballot boxes being opened in Offaly.

“It'll be a landslide,” said the former Labour Party member from Tullamore after he noted where the votes were going in the first ballot papers sorted at the count centre in Birr Community School.

However, there were many spoiled votes too with several people opting to write a large 'X' across the entire ballot paper.

Another spoiled ballot had the words “She was going for a run” written on it while others had “Not for me”, “Marie”, “Maria Steen”, “Burke family” and “Conor McGregor No 1”.

One ballot paper had the words “Deport all Africans”, “Deport all Indians” and a vile comment about the Roma community.

There are over 100 ballot boxes in Offaly and the earliest tally of about 1,200 votes had Catherine Connolly on 50%.

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