Mixed horizons for Westmeath connections in Dublin Bay South shake-up

There is a strong Westmeath flavour to the shake-up in the four-seater Dublin Bay South constituency, with a full tally confirmed.

Former Fine Gael TD and Kilbeggan native Kate O'Connell (née Newman), daughter of former Westmeath county councillor Michael Newman, is running as an independent in the coastal constituency but is unlikely to take a seat.

As of 12.30pm, O'Connell had 4.5% of the final tally, putting her in eighth place behind Green Party candidate Hazel Chu (8.3%), and in need of a miracle.

Meanwhile, Fine Gael's James Geoghegan, the current Lord Mayor of Dublin, is expected to top the poll in Dublin Bay South.

Geoghegan, who comes from a strong pedigree in the political and legal spheres, is a grandson of the former Fianna Fáil TD, James Geoghegan, who represented the Longford-Westmeath constituency from 1930 to 1936.

Geoghegan, the grandfather, was a native of Walshestown, outside Mullingar. He served as Minister for Justice (1932-33) and Attorney General (1936) before becoming a judge of the Supreme Court.