Tallies highlight sheer scale of Sinn Féin victory
The extent of Sinn Féin’s incursion on the polling booths of County Wexford in the general election is illustrated by the tallies compiled by Fianna Fail and Fine Gael as the boxes were opened and sorted.
The figures provided this week by Fianna Fail show that newly-elected TD Johnny Mythen of Sinn Féin captured a significant level of votes almost everywhere in the entire constituency, even outpolling sitting TD’s in some of their stronghold voting stations.
From Coolgreany to Kilmuckridge, Oulart, Oylegate and Courtnacuddy to Campile, from New Ross and Rathangan to Taghmon, Piercestown, Curracloe and Barntown, from Glynn, Bridgetown and Castlebridge to Wexford town, the Enniscorthy candidate who lost his seat in the the May 2019 local elections, captured votes in almost every nook and cranny.
The surge in election support for Sinn Féin laid waste to the county, conquering territories previously counted as the reserves of high-profile contenders and giving Mythen a record 18,717 first preferences.
Established TD’s just about managed to outshine Mythen in some of their epicentre areas but had to be content with a greatly-reduced total as he carried out an extensive raid on the boxes.
In Askamore Hall, outgoing Gorey TD’s Michael D’Arcy, FG and Malcolm Byrne FF who lost their seats, polled 126 and 122 first preferences respectively while Mythen took 111 votes.
In Riverchapel school number 4, Mythen took 213 votes compared to 80 for Byrne and 75 for D’Arcy and in Gorey Central 2, Mythen took 206 votes compared to Byrne’s 173 and D’Arcy’s 85.
Moving into the territory of successfully re-elected deputies James Browne FF and Paul Kehoe FG, Mythen outpolled the pair in Ballindaggin Hall and in nine out of 10 polling stations in St. Aidan’s School, Enniscorthy, taking 232 votes in number 5 compared to 94 for Browne and 46 for Kehoe.
Mythen made less of an in-road in the New Ross area where Cllr. Michael Sheehan FF and successful Independent candidate Verona Murphy dominated the scene with Sheehan polling very strongly in Cushinstown, Terrarath, Newbawn, Rathgarogue and all New Ross town centre stations and Murphy in Campile, Ramsgrange, Sheilbeggan, St. Leonard’s, Duncannon and other areas.
Mythen took Ballymitty, Bridgetown, Taghmon, Cleariestown, Crossabeg, Curracloe, Mayglass but in Kilmore Rosslare, Kilrane, Our Lady’s Island, Tagoat, Tacumshin, he had strong competition from Independent Ger Carthy.
In Murrintown and Piercestown he was up against Labour’s Brendan Howlin who outpolled him in these areas and in Castlebridge and Barntown. In Wexford town, Howlin’s core vote held up but it was seriously challenged by Mythen even in areas such as Coolcotts where the Labour Party constituency office is based.
In Coolcotts Number 3 for example, Mythen outshone Howlin by 186 votes to 108 and in Coolcotts Number 5 it was Mythen 149 and Howlin 107 while in Coolcotts number 6 it was 143 to 136.
In the area in which Howlin grew up, Mythen outpolled him by 148 to 117 in Faythe School number 4 and by 234 to 200 in Kennedy Park school 4.
In Kennedy Park School 5, the Enniscorthy man took the lion’s share of the vote with 213, leaving Howlin with 84. While Howlin dominated in John’s Road school, even here, he was outshone by Mythen in stations number 5 and 6.