Athlone 'could have had two TDs elected' - Hogan

Independent Ireland general election candidate, Cllr Paul Hogan, said the Athlone area could have elected two TDs to the Dáil if the local vote had been distributed differently.

"In terms of the local voters, instead of putting all of their eggs in the one basket, if it was evenly dispersed there's a very strong chance you could have had two elected, because I can pick up a vote outside of Athlone as well," he said.

At the time of writing, late on Sunday night, we were awaiting the official confirmation of Kevin 'Boxer' Moran's election to the Dáil after a very strong performance, particularly in the Athlone area, saw him receive 8,056 first preferences.

Hogan was the next-best performer among the Athlone-area candidates, but was some distance back, on 2,956 first preferences.

He said the fact that Athlone will no longer be without a TD was a positive development, but he pointed out that the Mullingar area is set to have three TDs elected, in the form of Peter Burke, Robert Troy and Sorca Clarke.

"Mullingar are coming home with three TDs, or a Minister and two TDs, depending on how you look at it.

"It certainly isn't beyond the bounds of possibility that Athlone could have had two, because there's precedent there with Paddy Cooney and Mary O'Rourke."

Peter Burke topped the poll in Longford Westmeath, taking 10,864 first preferences.

A student of the political life of this area, Cllr Hogan pointed out that this election marked the first time in more than 50 years that a Fine Gael candidate had been on top of the general election vote pile in Longford Westmeath.

"Paddy Cooney, who was the last (Fine Gael candidate to top the poll in Longford Westmeath), so it certainly has been a very good election for Fine Gael here," he said.

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