Joe’s crucial role at count
THEY play a crucial role at election counts with politicians and parties relying heavily on them to paint an accurate early prediction.
The tallymen ( and there a few women in the ranks now as well), have the onerous task of watching over the shoulders of the counters and ticking off the number one votes as the boxes of votes are sorted after being spilled on to tables at the count. Each number one vote is ticked off in boxes of five by the tallymen who then hand their sheets over to party workers at the computers who can draw up a tally for each of the electoral areas.
It’s all done in a spirit of co- operation between the parties and the counters who keep in mind the tallymen straining to catch a glimpse of the ballot papers. A tally is done in pairs with the tallest person and the one with the better eyesight calling out who got the number one and the other person marking it off on the sheet.
“You really have to concentrate and time just flies by on the morning of a count,” explains long serving Fine Gael tallyman, Joe McDonagh of Chapel Street, Sligo. He’s been tallying since 1981 for the party having joined as a supporter of the late Ted Nealon TD. A tally of the first preferences should be expected around lunch time on Saturday he says though it could be later given there’s 18 candidates in the field he says.
The first preference tally should always be accurate though numbers often don’t allow a second preference tally especially with a big field of candidates. Joe recalls going to a training evening on how to do a tally by former Fine Gael Constituency organiser Joe Sweeney.
It’s a voluntary role but Joe doesn’t mind as the buzz of an election count is more than adequate compensation.
From Gillooly Hall for the General Elections to the Town Hall and Teeling Centre in Collooney for locals and Europeans in Bundoran, Joe has tallied them all and he’s all set with the pencil sharpened for the Clarion Hotel on Saturday.