Sinn Féin’s Mairéad Farrell has topped the poll in Galway West – the first woman to do so in the history of Dáil General Elections in this constituency.

The Mervue woman took 8,164 first preferences in the first count and will comfortably hold the seat she won in 2020.

Others in contention to take a seat in the five-seater are Noel Grealish (Ind), Catherine Connolly (Ind), and John Connolly (FF), with two Fine Gael candidates (Sean Kyne and Hildegarde Naughton) and Independent Ireland’s Noel Thomas in a three-way battle for the final seat.

Patrick Feeney (Ind)  has been excluded and his 52 votes will be distributed when counting resumes at 9am tomorrow.

There were 196 ballot boxes from polling stations across Galway West, a diverse constituency that stretches from Claregalway, Carnmore and Oranmore in the east, through Galway City, and out to Connemara, the Aran Islands and Inishbofin.

There are five seats to fill, and 17 candidates.

Sitting TDs include Catherine Connolly (Ind), Noel Grealish (Ind), Hildegarde Naughten (FG) and Mairéad Farrell (SF).

Galway West

No of Seats: 5

Electorate: 103,713

Total poll: 60,652

Spoiled: 375

Valid poll: 60,277

Quota: 10,047

FIRST COUNT:

*Farell, Mairéad (SF) 8,164

Connolly, John (FF) 7,192

*Grealish, Noel (Ind) 6,887

*Connolly, Catherine (Ind) 6,747

*Naughton, Hildegarde (FG) 6,011

Thomas, Noel (Ind) 5,700

Kyne, Séan (FG) 5,335

Seoige, Gráinne (FF) 2,929

Seoighthe, Eibhlín (Soc Dem) 2,172

Cubbard, Mike (Ind) 2,219

O’Reilly, Pauline (Green) 1,839

Ogbu, Helen (Labour) 1,973

Lenihan, Pádraig (Aontú) 1,233

McMaster, Maisie (Sol-PBP) 905

McMahon, Doran (Irish Freedom) 450

Cahill, AJ (The Irish People) 469

Feeney, Patrick (Ind) 52

Feeney eliminated and votes to be distributed tomorrow

(*sitting TD)