Galway carved up again in constituency review

The latest carve-up of the county of foot of the latest constituency boundary changes has been met with a mix of anger and exasperation – but the redraw has also made all three Galway East seats among the safest in the country.

The irony is that one of the strongest critics of the carve-up is Minister Ciaran Cannon who wanted to see the restoration of the county boundary – but geography now means that his seat, and those of Anne Rabbitte and Sean Canney, look safer than ever.

The changes affect Galway East most with around 8,500 votes being moved to the three-seater Roscommon-Galway constituency.

Three years ago during another boundary revision an area stretching from Ballinasloe to Williamstown was made part of this constituency but now it has been extended further into Galway.

It now means that the likes of Dunmore, Clonberne, Moylough, Mountbellew, Ballymacward, Kilconnell, New Inn and Aughrim are no longer part of Galway East.

The constituency will take in a chunk of territory from Galway West and particularly around the Turloughmore and Athenry areas.

Elsewhere in Galway West most of South Mayo part of the constituency – including Ballinrobe and Garrymore – are returning to their former home.

Those living in Shrule, Cong, the Neale and Kilmaine were hoping that they too would revert to the Mayo four-seater – but that didn’t happen.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.