Irish Election are pleased to announce our collection of Irish 
Sinn Fein in Donegal
Read more about: Donegal North East, Donegal South West, Sinn Féin
Donegal is probably the best chance Sinn Fein has to gain seats. From this weeks Donegal Democrat “Sinn Fein Vice President, Pat Doherty, has said that Donegal North East and Donegal South West are among the 15 constituencies which his party harbour real hopes of securing a seat in the next general election.” They are running Padraig McLochlainn in Donegal North East and Pearse Doherty in Donegal South West who gained 15.5% in the European Elections.
It remains to be seen if the events surrounding Dennis Donaldson will have any effect on the Sinn Fein vote. The likelihood is that nothing will be linked to the IRA and thus not dent Sinn Fein’s chances. However it remains to be seen. Pearse Doherty is probably the most likely of the two to get a seat he gained 7.57% of the first preference votes and 16% of the transfers last time out receiving. He will probably be battling it out from the last seat with Fine Gael. Padraig McLochlainn got 9.93% of the vote last time which is more then Pearse’s. And he topped the poll in the local elections in with 15.36% in Inishowen but his inability unlike Pearse to gain transfers (1.33% last time) may be his undoing. Indeed Sinn Fein’s on a whole inability to gain transfers may well be there undoing.
Sinn Fein performance in Donegal will be crucial for the party. If they can’t take seats in Donegal they wouldn’t take much anywhere. I would say Pearce will take a seat but I don’t think Padraig will. Then again I know little about local politics in Donegal so if anyone wishes to enlighten me add a comment.
I see this has more potential to happen the other way around. I believe that Padraig McLochlann in Donegal NE will get closer to a seat than Pearse Doherty in the SW.
It’s very easy to analyse the figures, and try to guess who will do what. But you need to take into account the situation on the ground. Donegal SW has some of the strongest performing TDs in the country. Pat The Cope Gallagher and Mary Coughlan are exceptionally popular in their local areas, and Dinny McGinley remains a strong opposition performer.
Add to this, Pearse Doherty, despite his huge European campaign which included having Martin McGuiness and Gerry Adams canvassing for him in his local electoral area, failed to top the poll in the council elections (same day as the Euro elections). He was well beaten into second place by Fianna Fail’s Briain O’Domhnaill, who is an exceptionally strong vote-getter and a definite future TD.
Donegal NE is going to be very interesting. As I have said, I believe that SF will get closer here than in the SW, but I wouldn’t bet on them taking the seat. Fianna Fail remain very strong (one short of a majority on the council), as does Niall Blaney of Independent Fianna Fail. The constituency is made up of three distinct areas, each of which historically returns a TD. Cecilia Keaveney in Inishowen (where Padraig McLochlann will stand), Niall Blaney in Milford and Dr James McDaid in Letterkenny. Dr McDaid remains very popular in Letterkenny, but it is not certain he will stand (all his public signs point that he will). Add to this FGs very popular Senator Joe McHugh and the election gets very interesting.
There will most likely be some sort of backlash against FF (particularly on the issue of Cancer Care services, which has seen substantial rebellion from those of us in the party here in the county) but I believe we will still perform strong, as will FG. It’s going to be very interesting up here!
The foundation has been put in place for Eire Nua. Thank God for good Leadership. Brought about by true republicans i.e Sinn Fein.