1979 Donegal County Council election

7 June 1979

All 28 seats on Donegal County Council
  First party Second party Third party
 
Party Fianna Fáil Fine Gael Independent Fianna Fáil
Seats won 11 10 4
Seat change Steady Steady Steady

  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
 
Party Sinn Féin Sinn Féin The Workers' Party Donegal Progressive Party
Seats won 1 1 1
Seat change Increase1 Steady Steady

Map showing the area of Donegal County Council

Council control before election

Fianna Fáil

Council control after election

Fianna Fáil

An election to all 28 seats on Donegal County Council took place on 7 June 1979 as part of the 1979 Irish local elections. County Donegal was divided into five county local electoral areas to elect councillors for a five-year term of office on the electoral system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (PR-STV). This term was extended for a further year, to 1985.[1]

Results by party

Party Seats ± 1st pref FPv% ±
Fianna Fáil 11 Steady 24,516 40.08% Increase 4.44%
Fine Gael 10 Steady 18,260 29.85% Decrease 4.56%
Independent Fianna Fáil 4 Steady 10,245 16.75% Increase 5.68%
Sinn Féin 1 Increase 1 3,055 5.00% Increase 3.16%
Sinn Féin The Workers' Party 1 Steady 2,195 3.59% Decrease 0.34%
Donegal Progressive Party 1 Steady 1,728 2.82% Decrease 0.32%
Independent 0 Decrease 2 1,167 1.91% Decrease 7.61%
Total 28 Steady 61,166 100.00%

Results by local electoral area

^ *: Incumbent councillor.

Buncrana

Buncrana: 6 seats[2][3]
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
1234567891011
Fianna Fáil Hugh Conaghan TD[*] 14.1% 1,868                    
Sinn Féin Eddie Fullerton[*] 10.1% 1,331 1,355 1,369 1,424 1,428 1,434 1,443 1,445 1,478 1,491 1,614
Fianna Fáil Conal Doogan[*] 9.6% 1,267 1,271 1,276 1,430 1,582 1,592 1,600 1,604 2,248    
Fine Gael Sean McLaughlin[*] 8.9% 1,176 1,187 1,201 1,225 1,231 1,331 1,444 1,444 1,451 1,452 1,931'
Fine Gael Bernard McGuinness[*] 7.6% 1,005 1,008 1,012 1,020 1,033 1,097 1,417 1,417 1,507 1,532 1,832
Independent Fianna Fáil Michael Deery[*] 7.6% 1,001 1,018 1,064 1,075 1,088 1,093 1,111 1,113 1,243 1,316 1,344
Independent Fianna Fáil Paddy Keaveney[*] 6.8% 896 909 994 1,011 1,133 1,142 1,361 1,366 1,393 1,403 1,441
Fianna Fáil Denis McGonagle 6.7% 885 889 892 924 1,098 1,100 1,110 1,110    
Fine Gael Harry Gillen 6.0% 798 804 804 806 854 1,035        
Fine Gael Seamus Gill 5.9% 780 794 800 835 840 1,060 1,220 1,221 1,234 1,236
Fine Gael Jim Devenney 5.2% 693 693 718 722 724          
Fianna Fáil Sean McBride 4.6% 609 611 613 650            
Fianna Fáil Karl Deery 3.4% 445 460 463              
Independent Fianna Fáil Sean McDaid 2.2% 293 325                
Independent Fianna Fáil Mick Gallagher 1.2% 154                  
Independent Patrick Kelly 0.2% 27                  
Electorate: 17,987   Valid: 13,030 (98.5%)   Spoilt: 198   Quota: 1,890   Turnout: 13,228 (73.54%)  

    Donegal

    Donegal: 6 seats[4][5]
    PartyCandidateFPv%Count
    123456789
    Fianna Fáil Clement Coughlan[*] 22.3% 2,869                
    Fine Gael Michael Melly[*] 12.8% 1,649 1,671 1,682 1,684 1,689 1,702 1,711 1,759 1,773
    Sinn Féin Joe O'Neill 9.6% 1,241 1,285 1,324 1,337 1,384 1,440 1,470 1,491 1,552
    Fianna Fáil Brian McEniff[*] 9.5% 1,220 1,341 1,348 1,350 1,357 1,373 1,402 1,412 1,602
    Fine Gael Colm Gallagher[*] 8.8% 1,140 1,312 1,312 1,316 1,391 1,488 1,503 1,562 1,591
    Fianna Fáil Brian Gallagher[*] 7.4% 957 1,175 1,177 1,186 1,220 1,402 1,472 1,487 1,678
    Fianna Fáil James McBrearty 6.3% 809 960 961 1,003 1,020 1,032 1,226 1,395
    Fine Gael Sean McNialluis 5.6% 728 731 732 779 785 786 816  
    Fine Gael Thomas Murphy[*] 5.6% 718 785 786 794 821 827 993 1,407 1,576
    Fianna Fáil Patrick McGinley 4.5% 579 651 651 667 701 703    
    Independent Fianna Fáil Hugh Cassidy 3.1% 401 477 490 501 584      
    Independent Fianna Fáil Hugh Cassidy 3.1% 401 477 490 501 584      
    Independent Fianna Fáil John Murray 2.3% 292 371 384 389        
    Sinn Féin The Workers' Party Michael Byrne 1.5% 192 194 195          
    Independent Fianna Fáil Val Wynne 0.7% 96 96            
    Electorate: 16,519   Valid: 12,891   Quota: 1,842  

      Glenties

      Glenties: 6 seats[6][7]
      PartyCandidateFPv%Count
      1234567
      Fianna Fáil Paddy Delap[*] 20.6% '2,391            
      Sinn Féin The Workers' Party Seamus Rogers[*] 13.1% 1,519 1,599 1,653 1,736      
      Fianna Fáil Pat The Cope Gallagher[*] 12.1% 1,411 1,632 1,649 1,663      
      Fianna Fáil Sean McNelis[*] 9.9% 1,149 1,306 1,310 1,469 1,495 1,506 1,524
      Independent Fianna Fáil John Kelly[*] 9.3% 1,084 1,128 1,141 1,241 1,247 1,256 1,576
      Fine Gael Pat Slowey 8.5% 992 995 997 1,104 1,121 1,182 1,220
      Fine Gael James Doohan[*] 7.1% 822 866 873 877 882 938
      Fine Gael Jim Coyle[*] 6.9% 800 832 841 842 843  
      Fine Gael Fred Coll 6.4% 746 859 899 903 903 1,285 1,581
      Fianna Fáil John McLoone 4.4% 514 519 526      
      Sinn Féin Donal De Barra 1.7% 198 229        
      Electorate: 16,684   Valid: 11,626 (98.65%)   Spoilt: 159   Quota: 1,661   Turnout: 11,785 (70.64%)  

        Letterkenny

        Letterkenny: 6 seats[8][9]
        PartyCandidateFPv%Count
        12345678910
        Fine Gael Paddy Harte TD[*] 13.9% 2,046 2,073 2,124              
        Fianna Fáil Paddy McGowan[*] 13.8% 2,033 2,086 2,094 2,099 2,209          
        Fianna Fáil Bernard McGlinchey[*] 12.7% 1,868 1,888 2,064 2,163            
        Donegal Progressive Party William Buchanan[*] 11.7% 1,728 1,745 1,749 1,846 1,864 1,864 1,865 1,866 1,909 1,929
        Fine Gael J.J. Reid[*] 8.0% 1,188 1,256 1,271 1,499 1,562 1,567 1,571 1,578 1,626 1,697
        Independent Fianna Fáil Charles O'Donnell[*] 7.5% 1,106 1,118 1,173 1,220 1,260 1,263 1,280 1,284 1,339 1,425
        Independent Fianna Fáil Susan McGonagle[*] 6.6% 979 1,065 1,104 1,117 1,162 1,167 1,171 1,171 1,211 1,616
        Fianna Fáil Joseph Peoples 5.5% 817 820 835 850 911 928 942 942  
        Independent Fianna Fáil Gabriel Gordon 5.5% 812 848 872 876 934 946 952 954 975
        Independent Billy Gallagher 4.7% 695 704 737 753          
        Fine Gael May McClintock 3.8% 562 572 610            
        Sinn Féin The Workers' Party Sean O'Donnell 3.3% 484 501              
        Independent Charles Long 3.0% 445                
        Electorate: 20,479   Valid: 14,763 (98.16%)   Spoilt: 277   Quota: 2,110   Turnout: 15,040 (73.44%)  

          Milford

          Milford: 4 seats[10][11]
          PartyCandidateFPv%Count
          123456
          Independent Fianna Fáil Harry Blaney[*] 20.8% 1,805          
          Fianna Fáil Noel McGinley[*] 17.8% 1,545 1,547 1,610 1,690 1,783  
          Fine Gael William McCafferty[*] 14.6% 1,262 1,265 1,284 1,344 1,376 1,515
          Fine Gael Joachim Loughrey[*] 13.3% 1,155 1,167 1,182 1,266 1,290 1,425
          Independent Fianna Fáil Rosemary McCafferty 10.2% 882 919 972 1,004 1,286 1,368
          Fianna Fáil Ian McGarvey 9.2% 797 800 808 960 969
          Fianna Fáil William Friel 5.6% 483 490 503    
          Independent Fianna Fáil Hugh McClafferty 5.1% 444 450 514 537  
          Sinn Féin Pat Doherty 3.3% 285 288      
          Electorate: 10,790   Valid: 8,658 (98.04%)   Spoilt: 173   Quota: 1,732   Turnout: 8,831 (84.81%)  

            References

            Sources

            • Department of the Environment (1980). Local elections, 1979 : election results and transfer of votes in respect of each county, and county borough council : and election statistics relating to all local authorities (PDF). Official publications. Vol. Prl.9322. Dublin: Stationery Office. Retrieved 3 March 2016.

            Citations

            1. Local Elections (Specification of Local Election Year) Order 1984 (S.I. No. 6 of 1984). Signed on 12 January 1984 by Liam Kavanagh, Minister for the Environment. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book.
            2. "Donegal County Council: (Buncrana) 1979 Local Election Results, Counts, Stats and Analysis". irelandelection.com. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
            3. DofE 1980, pp. 30–31.
            4. "Donegal County Council: (Donegal) 1979 Local Election Results, Counts, Transfers". irelandelection.com. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
            5. DofE 1980, p. 32.
            6. "Donegal County Council: (Glenties) 1979 Local Election Results, Counts, Stats and Analysis". irelandelection.com. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
            7. DofE 1980, p. 33.
            8. "Donegal County Council: (Letterkenny) 1979 Local Election Results, Counts, Stats and Analysis". irelandelection.com. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
            9. DofE 1980, pp. 34–35.
            10. "Donegal County Council: (Milford) 1979 Local Election Results, Counts, Stats and Analysis". irelandelection.com. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
            11. DofE 1980, p. 36.
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