Galway West count suspended with Independent Ireland’s Noel Thomas in lead

The Galway West byelection count concluded for the night with Independent Ireland’s Noel Thomas leading Fine Gael’s Seán Kyne by 784 votes after the fourth count. Neither candidate has secured the quota required to win the seat, leaving the outcome uncertain until the count resumes at 9 AM Sunday. The elimination of Green Party’s Niall Murphy and Irish People’s Party’s AJ Cahill marked the latest developments, with Cahill’s 949 votes heavily favoring Thomas, who received 439 transfers from him. Fine Gael remains cautious despite Kyne’s gains, including 214 transfers from Murphy. The party’s strategy hinges on Fianna Fáil’s Cillian Keane’s transfers, which are expected to benefit Kyne, though uncertainty remains due to Thomas’s former affiliation with Fianna Fáil. Helen Ogbu of the Labour Party, who received nearly 6,000 votes, could also benefit from transfers if left-wing candidates like Sheila Garrity, Sinn Féin’s Mark Lohan, and Social Democrat Míde Nic Fionnlaoich are eliminated. The byelection follows Catherine Connolly’s ‘vote left, transfer left’ presidential campaign, with Garrity’s 1,421 first-preference votes reflecting its influence. Sinn Féin’s performance fell short of expectations, with Mark Lohan securing 3,208 first preferences. Taoiseach Micheál Martin suggested the result highlights an opportunity for Fianna Fáil’s growth in the constituency, though its candidates trailed behind the top contenders. The count’s final stages will determine whether the ‘vote left, transfer left’ strategy holds weight or if voters prioritize other factors. Key transfers from independent Mike Cubbard and Keane will be critical in narrowing the gap between Thomas and Kyne. The outcome will be announced after the remaining counts, with all eyes on whether the seat will go to an independent or Fine Gael.