There were mixed results at the count centres at the weekend for the country's high-profile sporting election candidates. Boxing champ Kenny Egan managed to convince 1,015 of the electorate of Clondalkin that he's worthy of a place on South Dublin County Council despite not seeming to have much of a clue about politics in general or the role of a local councillor in particular. He claimed the seventh of eight available seats for the district as one of two candidates who were elected despite not reaching the quota.
Not bad for someone who has only voted "once or twice".
Congratulations Councillor Egan! Now come out fighting @kenegan30
— eamon carr (@carrtogram) May 25, 2014
Now a clean-living teetotaller, he celebrated his successful campaign by changing his Twitter name to "Councillor Egan", and offering his thoughts on the latest blockbuster release.
@HelenaOtoole can a man not have a night off ??????????
— Councillor Egan (@kenegan30) May 25, 2014
His fellow Fine Gaeler and Olympian Eamonn Coghlan was competing in the Dublin West by-election for just a single available seat, so was always going to find things tougher than Egan, especially after his bizarre description of his canvassing experience on Tonight with Vincent Browne.
Ruth Coppinger took the seat for the Socialist Party. Coghlan claimed that campaigning was a "wonderful experience" and did not rule out a shot at the Dáil at the next general election.
Would it be unfair to describe Eamonn Coghlan as an also ran #le14
— i am elfgagi (@ELFGAGI) May 24, 2014
I'm assuming the 3.715 people who voted for Eamonn Coghlan didn't see him on Vincent Browne. If u did u shouldn't be allowed vote. #chancer
— Gary Kelly (@maxcouch) May 24, 2014
Up the road from Dublin West, Meath footballer and controversial goal-roller Joe Sheridan was running for Fianna Fáil in the Ashbourne LEA. It didn't go so well, he was well down the pecking order with a first-count total of 476 votes. He wasn't so happy with the way his party colleagues conducted their campaigns.
He told the Indo:
I'm happy with my own campaign – but I can't control what other people do.
People have their own tactics, but I do it as fair as possible. The way we did my campaign was to try and get enough votes in the area we were given, and that's what we stuck by. But others ran their campaign any way they liked.
Celebrations all over Louth tonight :-) Joe Sheridan misses out on a seat on Meath County Council
— Anaglogs Daughter (@AnaglogsDaughtr) May 25, 2014
Sticking with GAA heroes, nothing showed just how much the Labour Party has taken a pounding than Martin Storey's inability to be elected as a councillor for the party in the Enniscorthy ward. He's still much-loved in the Southeast for his exploits with the Model County in 1996, and he's still the owner of a truly memorable Irish sporting moustache, but neither of those qualities could save the psychiatric nurse from the electoral chop.
No 'Dancin' at the Crossroads' for @labour /Martin Storey in Wexford etc etc. #le14
— Steven Carroll (@carrollste) May 26, 2014
Former GAA President and Croker-opener Seán Kelly (FG) was thought to be in danger of losing his European Parliament seat in the Ireland South constituency, but he looks set to retain it, having gained 83,520 votes. Here he is appearing to play air guitar on Radio Kerry in celebration of his success.
Sean Kelly about to go live on @radiokerry #le14 pic.twitter.com/VOnHbbCZOz
— Anna Curtin (@Annacurtin2010) May 24, 2014
