TALLIES: History could be made in Roscommon-Galway

History could be made in the Roscommon-Galway constituency with no Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil candidate to be returned in this election.

With nearly two-thirds of the votes tallied, Independent Michael Fitzmaurice has romped ahead with 10,911 first preference votes so far.

Fellow Independent Denis Naughten, the former minister who left Fine Gael over the closure of the emergency department at Roscommon hospital, is in second place on 7,409 votes.

As predicted the battle will be for the third seat, currently held by Fianna Fáil’s Eugene Murphy.

Sinn Féin’s Clare Kerrane is polling in third place with 6,609 first preferences.

This is the constituency where Sinn Féin returned returned their first ever candidate in Count Plunkett in 1917, son of Joseph Mary Plunkett, one of the executed 1916 leaders.

Eugene Murphy is trailing with 4,367 votes while his running mate, Roscommon County Councillor Orla Leyden is on 2,677.

Fine Gael’s Aisling Dolan is running in fifth place on 4,203 votes.

Pundits are warning that the tallies may not be as accurate as in other constituencies due to the small numbers of tally people keeping record.

The Roscommon constituency has always returned either a Fianna Fáil or a Fine Gael candidate.

The first count is now predicted to be announced after 5pm.