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FIANNA FÁIL’S ALBERT Dolan topped the first count poll in Galway East in a shock result, while his party colleague Minister Anne Rabbitte is in serious danger of losing her seat.
25 year-old Galway East native Albert Dolan is now narrowly behind independent candidate Seán Canney after the third count, but looks set to secure one of Galway East’s four seats.
Dolan became Galway’s youngest councillor in 2019 aged just 20, and held on to his seat for Athenry/Oranmore in June. He has established himself as a popular figure and exceeded the quota by hundreds of votes in 2019 and 2024 to be elected on the first count.
Dolan made history following the recent local elections by becoming Galway County Council’s youngest ever Cathaoirleach at the age of 25.
Dolan told reporters that he “could not believe” the results, and said he “has a duty to step up to the plate and try and deliver for young people”.
“That’s what politics is about, it’s about working together, it’s about engaging with people, and I just want to say a massive thank you to everyone who has come out to support me,” Dolan told RTÉ.
Albert Dolan on how he got interested in politics pic.twitter.com/xLBvxb9o5u
— RTÉ Galway East (@RTEgalwayEAST) November 30, 2024
While Dolan had reason to celbrate the first count, picking up 10,140 first preference votes, outgoing Minister Anne Rabbitte is at risk of losing her seat.
Rabbitte, a Minister of State since July 2020, picked up 4,056 first preference votes, and remains in sixth place in Galway East after the third count.
The result will surely be a shock to the outgoing Minister of State, as Rabbitte was predicted to comfortably retain her seat.
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Looks great, then we just need a massive big bridge to span both sides. Something iconic like the Golden Gate or Sydney Harbour bridge.
Sure we already have that, the hey penny bridge!
We could have the best IT centre in the world if we invested the money spent every year into Irish – into IT in Gaelteacht areas and in other centres. Imagine what €6Billion investment could do to get it going? Our kids and their kids could be leaders in IT globally. Instead we have huge areas of depressed kids committing suicide because they feel despair at what is happening.
Make it happen, lived in Dub for good while but been to London over last weekend for the Eminem gig, Dublin claass town but not a patch on the UK’s best. We need to aim high, build a modern Dublin get with the ******* times haa :)
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