GALWAY WEST – FG exodus … to Mass

Date Published: 27-Feb-2011

BY JOHN CUNNINGHAM

The word at the West Galway count just before lunchtime was that there had been something of a mass-exodus of Fine Gael hangers on, candidates and handlers to 12.30 Mass.

Maybe it was to pray that they might just hang on to that hoped-for second seat in Galway West for the first time in thirty years.

In line for those possible two FG seats were Brian Walsh, Fidelma Healy-Eames and Sean Kyne – but still nagging-away at their heels was Independent Catherine Connolly.

The Connolly position was expected to be massively improved with the elimination of Sinn Fein’s Trevor O Clochartaigh, and tallymen at 3.30 this afternoon were speaking of a ‘massive transfer.’ It turned out to be over 1,600.

So, all to play for still in the Fine Gael camp as they hoped to take two seats in Galway West for the first time since 1982 – when John Donnellan and Fintan Coogan were the victors.