The pack has tightened up in the race for the Donegal Municipal District Council.
Fianna Fail’s Claudia Kennedy is the latest candidate to be eliminated, as the race is heating up for the final seats.
Michael Naughton still remains short of the quota, but still has a commanding lead on the chasing pack with 1,851 votes.
Sinn Fein’s Noel Jordan, 1,593 votes, and Michael McMahon, 1,505 votes, still look in decent shape to take the next two seats.
However the battle behind them for the final three seats is set to be heavily dependent on transfers.
Independent Jimmy Brogan is now on 1,398, followed by fellow Independent Pauric Kennedy on 1,346.
Fine Gael’s two candidates in the Donegal LEA, Manus Boyle (1,292) and Barry Sweeny (1,286) are in a massively tight battle for what currently would be the sixth and final seat.
Incumbent Independent councillor Niamh Kennedy benefitted most from the distribution of Derek Vial’s votes, gaining 58 putting her on 1,177 and still well within shouting distance of a seat depending on transfers.
The remaining candidates in the race are Fianna Fail’s Martin Hegarty (785) Independent Diarmaid Doherty (521), Sinn Fein’s Linda Boyle (494), and Aontu’s Patrick Brogan (311).
