Newbridge LEA still an open game

As the candidates and their helpers anxiously scanned the sorting of the distributed votes from poll-topper Fiona McLoughlin Healy's massive surplus last evening, the question was where would they go? writes Brian Byrne.

The answer turned out to be ... everywhere. But particularly to other candidates from Newbridge from across the political spectrum. So FG Peggy O'Dwyer got the most, with 134, followed by Chris Pender from the Soc Dems with 122 substantially bumping him upwards to pass fellow Newbridge man Noel Heavey of Fianna Fail.

Independent Morgan McCabe picked up 85 votes from McLoughlin Healy, while FF's Rob Power somewhat out in the margins in Caragh still gained a useful 63. As we suggested earlier yesterday evening, FG's Kilcullen runner Tracey O'Dwyer also ended up with a marginal share, but the 45 votes added has brought her nicely into four figures.

It's still a real contest though, with much to play for and the order and occupation of the last few seats not at all settled.

When things get going again this morning, the first order of business is the distribution of the Independent Gerard Delaney's 146 votes, which aren't likely to make a definitive difference to anybody. But there are ten times that many to be dealt from the shuffled pack of SF Noel Connolly, Green Enda Connelly, Aontu Damien Molyneaux, and Labour's Ciara O'Reilly.

Of these, for local interest will there be any significant rollover from Enda Connolly's 383 to either FF's Antoinette Buckley or FG's Tracey O'Dwyer? Connolly was the remarkably invisible Kilcullen candidate, and yet polled respectably for all that. His votes, if transferred to our other locals, could be important.

Independent Morgan McCabe, a sitting councillor, is likely another exitee, but his Newbridge accumulation might be partly useful to push fellow townsman FF Murty Aspell a bit further up the ladder. Of course the share-out might be more diluted across the remaining Newbridge players. Which will make it more of a fight between the three downstream FF candidates to stay in the game. FG Tom Dempsey's distributions will likely be more useful to Peggy O'Dwyer than Tracey O'Dwyer.

Whoever will be doing the face to face for the last seat is still a ponderable question. With so many players queuing to show their hands around the five seats remaining in play, the game is that open.

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