Ocean FM News Reports

Keith Henry has been eliminated following the ninth count in the Ballymote-Tubbercurry electoral area.   The Fianna Fáil candidate, who was previously elected in 2014 before losing his seat in 2019 received 1152 votes this time around.   Henry's elimination paves the way for fellow Fianna Fáil candidates Liam Brennan and Barry Gallagher as well as Martin Connolly, Gerard Mullaney and Dar...

Sinn Féin candidate Cllr Noel Jordan has been re-elected to the Donegal local electoral area.   In the tenth count, Cllr Jordan was confirmed as part of the County Council, with 2352 votes.   He was the second candidate to be elected for the area, and was delighted to hold his seat.   Cllr Jordan thanked the people who came out to vote for him.

Pauric Kennedy speaking to the panel

"It's been a bruising day for Sinn Féin."   That's according to Donegal TD Pearse Doherty, as he reflected on a day of surprises and changes nationwide.   Deputy Doherty was attending the vote count in Donegal Town and reflected to the panel on what today meant for the future of his party.   Deputy Doherty says there's a responsibility on Sinn Féin to build trust with the public.

Thomas Walsh has been re-elected to Sligo County Council after the first count in the Sligo-Drumcliffe electoral area. The Fine Gael candidate's total of 1891 after the first count exceeded the quota of 1551. Councillor Walsh was first elected to Sligo County Council in 2019 with 1645 votes. The count continues on FM and online by clicking here.

Long-serving councillor Joe Queenan has been re-elected to Sligo County Council. The Independent candidate's total 2368 votes following the eight count was enough to see him exceed the quota of 2021. A native of west Sligo, Councillor Queenan was first elected to the local authority in 1999. He joins fellow Independent Michael Clarke and Paul Taylor of Fianna Fáil in the seven-seater municipal dis...

Míchael Naughton has been re-elected to Donegal County Coucil.   The Fianna Fáil candidate was the first person to be announced as a councillor in the Donegal LEA.   Cllr Naughton had the most first preference votes and was elected on the eighth count.   Cllr Naughton said he’ll be working for better days ahead for South Donegal.

Former Donegal TD and Tánaiste Mary Coughlan has spoken on current Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue TD and on fisheries.   The issue of fishing quotas and fishing rights has been a long-standing issue in the North West.   Ms Coughlan gave her support to the current minister, and highlighted how unfair the current situation is for local Irish fisheries, w...

Three spouses of candidates contesting this year's elections in Sligo joined Niall Delaney for a unique insight into the life of a candidate.   Naomi and Freya Taylor (wife and daughter of Paul), Mel Casserly (husband of Marie) and Majella Healy (wife of Thomas) detail their experiences from the other side.

Former Fianna Fáil Sligo-Leitrim TD and Tánaiste Ray MacSharry joined Niall Delaney on Ocean FM’s live coverage of the Sligo County Council elections to reflect on the count to date and the "bubble" that exists around Leinster House.

Fine Gael's Barry Sweeny has admitted this evening that this year's local election campaign was difficult. He is still in contention to win a seat after four counts in Donegal, but it is predicted that his current seat is far from safe.  Speaking to Ocean FM's election panel, Sweeny admitted he found it difficult to give enough time to his campaign.

Independent Michael Clarke and Fianna Fáil’s Paul Taylor have both been re-elected to Sligo County Council after the sixth count in the Ballymote-Tubbercurry electoral area. The two candidate’s elections follow the distribution of Jennifer Van Aswegan 830 votes which put them over the quota of 2021. Clarke topped the poll with 2128 votes while Taylor was a close second on 2025. The count continues...

Listen back to the first count in the Donegal electoral area, which has seen Irish People party candidate, John Molloy, eliminated.

Outgoing Fianna Fáil Cllr and candidate in the Donegal electoral area, Mícheal Naughton, has opened the door to potentially running in a future general election.   This comes as Cllr Naughton topped the polls in first preference votes and is set to be the first confirmed councillor in the municipal district.   He joined the panel at the Donegal count centre, and was asked whether he was...

Unsuccessful Sinn Fein candidate in the Ballymote-Tubbercurry local electoral area Jennifer Van Aswegen has been reflecting on her campaign.   The first-time candidate was eliminated on the fifth count, receiving the 11th highest amount of votes.   She joined the panel at the Sligo Park Hotel after her exit from the contest.   Ms Van Aswegen said she was overwhelmed and delighted wi...

Nessa Cosgrove has been elected onto Sligo County Council for the first time.   The Labour Party candidate’s 1310 votes were enough to exceed the quota of 1188 after the tenth count at The Sligo Park Hotel.   Cosgrove previously contested the 2014 and 2019 local elections and was unsuccessful on both occasions.   She spoke of her delight at being elected to Ocean FM:

Two candidates have been re-elected following the 10th count for the Sligo-Strandhill area. They are Arthur Gibbons of Sinn Féin and Solidarity People Before Profit’s Gino O’Boyle. Declan Bree (Independent Socialist) and Fianna Fáil candidate Tom MacSharry having been elected earlier this morning and Nessa Cosgrove (Labour Party) being elected for the first time for the Labour Party it means all s...

A Donegal senator has been reacting to what looks like a disappointing campaign for women contesting this year's local elections. Despite many campaigns from parties to run more women in the elections this year, it looks as though not many will make it over the line around the country. Senator Eileen Flynn has been sharing her views with Ocean FM's Donegal election panel.

Donegal Mayor and Independent candidate Pauric Kennedy agreed that the issue of the one-way system in Donegal Town helped him gain more first preference votes.   The one-way system is a grievance repeatedly raised by locals, and Mayor Kennedy previously gave his support to change the set-up.   Speaking on the panel at the Donegal Count Centre, he also highlighted the amount of canvassing...

If you put in your best effort, people will reward you.   That's according the Sligo-Drumcliffe Sinn Féin Cllr Thomas Healy who looks likely to maintain his council seat after the tallies gave him 1438 first preference votes.   Cllr Healy was tight-lipped regarding the suggestion that he could potentially run for Sinn Féin in a general election in the near future.   Cllr Healy says...

A Donegal MD candidate has said that one of their reasons for running in the elections was to ensure the use of grants.   Independent candidate Diarmuid Doherty was speaking on the panel at the John Bosco Centre in Donegal Town as the vote count continues.   Mr Doherty highlighted how he wants to see investment in the area, and not to be returning grant funding.   He said that it wa...

Sligo town has always been a difficult place for any government related candidates to get elected.   That's according to Sligo-Leitrim Independent TD Marc MacSharry, who was speaking at today's Sligo local election vote count.   His thoughts follow the high turnout in votes for candidates from Labour, People Before Profit, Sinn Fein, and Independents in the Sligo-Strandhill area.  ...

Independent Donegal TD Thomas Pringle thinks there's an appetite for a general election sooner rather than later.   Deputy Pringle shared his thoughts on the situation this morning at the Donegal vote count.   While out canvassing alongside local election Independent candidate Jimmy Brogan, he saw members of the public looking for change.   Deputy Pringle says there's an anger again...

The councillors confirmed for Leitrim County Council in the Manorhamilton Municipal District are Independent James Gilmartin, Fianna Fáil Mary Bohan, Independent Felim Gurn, Sinn Féin Padraig Fallon, Fianna Fáil Justin Warnock, and Independent Eddie Mitchell.   The count continued into the early hours of Sunday morning, as the new councillors and their families waited for the results.  ...

Fergal Nealon gives his reaction to Ocean FM's Ronan Flanagan following his election to Sligo County Council on Saturday night.