Today is the day when the political landscape of Donegal looks set to change forever.
From a county dominated by Fianna Fail, the party will struggle to pick up the last two remaining seats with both Sinn Fein and Fine Gael set to pick up the first four positions.
Fianna Fail will have to fight off what are expected to be very strong challenges from Labour’s Jimmy Harte in Donegal NE and Independent Thomas Pringle in Donegal SW if they are to remain alive in Donegal at all.
The thought of Tanaiste Mary Coughlan losing her seat would have been laughed at during the last election but many feel that is a real possibility this time around.
For his part Inishowen councillor Charlie McConalogue must depend on a first preference of 5,000 plus votes if he is to beat off the challenge of Labour’s Harte as the counts go on.
Counting will get underway feverishly at 9am sharp in both the Aura Leisure Centre in Letterkenny and the John Bosco Centre in Donegal Town
A total electorate of 124,101 people were entitled to go to the polls across Co Donegal yesterday with reports that up to 70% of people did exercise their democratic right to vote to make up the 31st Dail.
First declarations are not expected until after 5pm and after that it could be a long but fascinating evening.
Nobody is sure of who will represent Donegal in that 31st Dail in the coming months and years.
But the one certainty is that Donegal will have at least three new faces in Leinster House.
But the real question is how many more can be added to that list come tomorrow?
Ends
