Election 2024Constituency Profile

Galway East constituency profile: This is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing constituencies of the 43

Election 2024: Both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are eyeing two seats, with Sinn Féin in running for last seat

Galway East Constituency map
Election 2024: In Galway East, both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are eyeing two seats but Sinn Féin could deny them
Harry McGee's picture
Harry McGee
Thu Nov 07 2024 - 12:10

Outgoing TDs: Ciaran Cannon (FG); Seán Canney (Ind); Anne Rabbitte (FF).

Who are the candidates running in Galway East? Cllr Albert Dolan (FF), Deputy Anne Rabbitte (FF), Deputy Seán Canney (Ind), Louis O’Hara (SF), Cllr Pete Roche (FG), Cllr Clodagh Higgins (FG), Niamh Madden (FG), Luke Silke (Aon); Eoin Madden (GP); David O’Reilly (TIP); Paul Madden (Ind); Declan Geraghty (Ind Ireland).

Galway East is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing constituencies of the 43, with a possibility that only one of the outgoing TDs will be in the 34th Dáil.

The constituency is gaining a seat and Ciarán Cannon is one of 18 Fine Gael TDs who has retired. However, sitting Fianna Fáil TD Anne Rabbitte faces a “friendly fire” threat from her running mate, Albert Dolan. The 25-year old is chair of the council and considered a rising star in the party.

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The only nailed-on certainty here is Independent TD Seán Canney. The Corofin politician works with quiet efficiency and is some operator on a local level. Michael Fitzmaurice was thinking of changing from Roscommon-Galway. Instead, his colleague Declan Geraghty from Williamstown will run here for Independent Ireland. It’s difficut to see Canney being dislodged by him.

Both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are eyeing two seats. There is a possibility that if Fianna Fáil gets only one, Portumna-based Rabbitte could lose out to Dolan, who is in Athenry.

Like in so many other constituencies, Fine Gael has gone for a maximalist approach with three candidates. On the face of it, Abbeyknockmoy councillor Pete Roche is the front-runner, with a big support base around Tuam. But his two colleagues bring strong track records into the contest. Clodagh Higgins is from Athenry but has been a councillor in Galway City. Despite some muttering about her moving constituency, she has a strong profile, and a campaigning style similar to that of her sister, former Labour senator Lorraine Higgins.

Fine Gael’s candidate in the south, Niamh Madden from Portumna, is an auctioneer who has been impressive on the hustings and cannot be discounted.

And what of Sinn Féin? Louis O’Hara, then an unknown, came close to winning a seat in 2020 on the back of the Sinn Féin brand. That brand has diluted but O’Hara has become a councillor since then and has a higher profile. He should be in the running for the last seat. Aontú's Luke Silke and Eoin Madden of the Greens are good candidates but won’t be in the final shake-up. It’s going to be one Independent, one Fianna Fáil, one Fine Gael, and Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin in competition for the last seat.

A massive chunk of east and northeast Galway was sheared off in 2016 and hived off to Roscommon. Some of it has come back in the latest constituency change, especially around the north and northeast of the county. The towns of Tuam, Athenry and Loughrea have all been doing well in recent years, and are effectively commuting towns for Galway City. The southern end of the constituency close to the Clare and Tipperary borders has not been developed at the same pace.

Possible outcome: Fianna Fáil (2), Fine Gael (1), Independent (1)