Social Democrat candidate Daniel Ennis has topped the poll on the first count in Dublin Central
\nEnnis took 4,903 first preference votes, followed by Sinn F\u00e9in\u2019s Janice Boylan on 4,348
\nIndependent Ireland’s Noel Thomas has topped the poll in the Galway West by-election<\/p>\n
9.50pm<\/p>\n
Counting in Galway West has been adjourned until Sunday morning.<\/p>\n
Independent Ireland\u2019s Noel Thomas remains in the lead following the fourth count.<\/p>\n
Count four saw the distribution of votes from the eliminated Green Party candidate Niall Murphy.<\/p>\n
Noel Thomas is still in the lead with 10,497, after receiving an additional 20 votes.<\/p>\n
He is followed by Fine Gael\u2019s Se\u00e1n Kyne with 9,907, after he got 214 transfers.<\/p>\n
Labour\u2019s Helen Ogbu got the most additional votes this round, with 392, but it is still not enough to close the gap, as she sits at 5,970 in third place.<\/p>\n
Aont\u00fa\u2019s Orla Nugent and Independent candidate Sheila Garrity have now been eliminated, and their votes will be distributed in the fifth count on Sunday morning at 9am.<\/p>\n
9.30pm<\/p>\n
Independent Ireland\u2019s Noel Thomas did best from the distribution of the Irish People\u2019s Party candidate AJ Cahill\u2019s 949 votes.<\/p>\n
He garnered almost half of them, adding 439 votes to bring his total to 10,477, The Irish Times reports.<\/p>\n
Se\u00e1n Kyne received just 20 transfers from Cahill bringing his total to 9,693. The gap between Thomas and Kyne is now 784.<\/p>\n
The Green Party\u2019s Niall Murphy has now been eliminated.<\/p>\n
9pm<\/p>\n
Fine Gael\u2019s Ray McAdam has been eliminated on the sixth count, The Irish Times reports.<\/p>\n
Gerry Hutch leapfrogged McAdam and the Green Party\u2019s Janet Horner to move into third place, with McAdam\u2019s 3,614 votes to be distributed next.<\/p>\n
Daniel Ennis of the Social Democrats continues his progress towards the vacant seat in Dublin Central.<\/p>\n
8pm<\/p>\n
Social Democrats candidate Daniel Ennis is solidifying his lead following a whopping 871 transfers from People Before Profit\u2019s Eoghan \u00d3 Ceannbh\u00e1in, The Irish Times reports.<\/p>\n
He is now 1,366 votes clear of second placed Sinn F\u00e9in\u2019s Janice Boylan who 430 transfers from PBP.<\/p>\n
Independent candidate Cllr Malachy Steenson has been eliminated on the 5th count in Dublin Central with 2,641 votes.<\/p>\n
In Galway, count two has been completed. Independent AJ Cahill has been eliminated.<\/p>\n
Social Democrats candidate M\u00edde NicFhionnlaoch was the main beneficiary of the five candidates who were eliminated, winning 197 of the 812 votes that were distributed.<\/p>\n
7.30pm<\/p>\n
Independent Ireland’s Noel Thomas remains top of the poll in Galway West following the second count.<\/p>\n
He received an additional 31 votes, and now has a total of 10,038.<\/p>\n
Fine Gael’s Se\u00e1n Kyne follows very closely with 9,673 votes, after receiving 27 transfers.<\/p>\n
Labour’s Helen Ogbu remains in third with 5,560.<\/p>\n
Count three is now underway, following the elimination of The Irish People candidate, AJ Cahill.<\/p>\n
6.30pm<\/p>\n
Independent Ireland’s Noel Thomas has topped the poll in the Galway West by-election.<\/p>\n
He is followed by Fine Gael’s Sean Kyne.<\/p>\n
Labour’s Ruth O’Dea has been eliminated on the third count in Dublin Central’s by-election.<\/p>\n
The Social Democrats’ Daniel Ennis is around 550 votes ahead of the nearest challenger and is well placed to take a D\u00e1il seat.<\/p>\n
Fine Gael Lord Mayor Ray McAdam took around half the transfers of the eliminated Fianna F\u00e1il candidate John Stephens.<\/p>\n
While Independent Gerry Hutch has placed fourth – trailing Janet Horner of the Green Party.<\/p>\n
6pm<\/p>\n
Fianna F\u00e1il candidate John Stephens has been eliminated on the second count in the RDS with 1,120 votes.<\/p>\n
Independents Mannix Flynn, Tony Corrigan, Colm Joseph Flood, and John O\u2019Leary, as well as Aont\u00fa Ian Noel Smyth, were eliminated on the first count, The Irish Times reports.<\/p>\n
The Taoiseach has admitted Dublin Central is a “weakness” for Fianna F\u00e1il.<\/p>\n
The party is experiencing its worst by-election result ever in that constituency.<\/p>\n
Speaking at the Galway West count centre this evening, Miche\u00e1l Martin explained why this may be.<\/p>\n
“The key issue as we see it, is the cost of living is a central issue. It has never gone away as an issue. Government from the outset wanted to do something meaningful and more strategic on infrastructure,” he said.<\/p>\n
“Infrastructure doesn’t win you votes because, by definition, it takes a longer lead in time. We put a lot into that in terms of the National Development Plan, and I think that’s the corrrect thing to do for the country.<\/p>\n
“Electrolly, clearly, cost of living is impacting hugely.”<\/p>\n
5.45pm<\/p>\n
T\u00e1naiste Simon Harris thanked those who voted for Fine Gael in the Dublin Central and Galway West by-elections, adding that the\u00a0party ran “two extremely strong candidates” in both constituencies.<\/p>\n
\u201cBased on the tallies across the constituencies, more people have given their first preference vote to Fine Gael than any other political party. I sincerely thank people for that. But we look forward to the outcome of the counts in the hours ahead,” he said.<\/p>\n
“I want to thank Ray McAdam and S\u00e9an Kyne – two excellent candidates, supported by a strong team of party activists on the ground in Dublin Central and Galway West and the Fine Gael family from across the country.<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you as well to the staff in the counting centres in both constituencies for their tireless work. Whatever the outcome in the hours ahead, today is another reminder of why Ireland is a great country with a strong and stable democracy, and we look forward to the results.\u201d<\/p>\n
5.15pm<\/p>\n
Social Democrat candidate Daniel Ennis has topped the poll on the first count in Dublin Central.<\/p>\n
Ennis took 4,903 first preference votes, followed by Sinn F\u00e9in\u2019s Janice Boylan on 4,348.<\/p>\n
Green candidate Janet Horner secured 2,907 votes, followed closely by independent Gerry Hutch on 2,817.<\/p>\n
Fine Gael\u2019s Ray McAdam secured 2,659, The Irish Times reports.<\/p>\n
4.25pm<\/p>\n
According to tallies, Daniel Ennis of the Social Democrats looks set to top the poll in the Dublin Central byelection, The Irish Times has reported.<\/p>\n
If Ennis takes the seat, the Social Democrats would have two seats in same constituency for first time.<\/p>\n
Winning an 11th seat will mean the Soc Dems will have improved speaking rights over Labour and will speak ahead of them in the D\u00e1il.<\/p>\n
Ennis has said he is \u201cdelighted\u201d with his performance in the Dublin Central by-election.<\/p>\n
He was cheered at the count centre in the RDS as he arrived with party leader Holly Cairns, who said it was an \u201cemotional day\u201d for the Social Democrats.<\/p>\n
3.40pm<\/p>\n
Fianna F\u00e1il is on course for its worst ever by-election result with John Stephens tallying around 4.2 per cent in Dublin Central.<\/p>\n
Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien has denied that means Miche\u00e1l Martin’s leadership is under further pressure.<\/p>\n
“[There] isn’t a week that passes where someone doesn’t ask me that question. I’ve been asked that quesiton since 2020 actually,” he said.<\/p>\n
“Since after the 2020 general election, I was asked would Miche\u00e1l lead us into the general election. I said he would. He did, and not only did he do that, he came back and he returned as Taoiseach with the largest party in D\u00e1il \u00c9ireann.<\/p>\n
“Our focus though has got to be in working for our people<\/p>\n
2.50pm<\/p>\n
Sinn F\u00e9in leader Mary Lou McDonald has said she \u201cfeels no pressure\u201d over her leadership as counting continues in two by-elections in Dublin and Galway.<\/p>\n
The hand counting of votes in two constituencies in Galway and Dublin began at 9am on Saturday and is expected to continue for several hours as candidates are eliminated and their votes transferred to those still in the running.<\/p>\n
First tallies indicate that the Social Democrats\u2019 Daniel Ennis is ahead in Dublin Central, with Fine Gael\u2019s Sean Kyne and Independent Ireland and former Fianna F\u00e1il representative Noel Thomas neck-and-neck in Galway West.<\/p>\n
The by-elections were held to fill the seats vacated by Catherine Connolly when she became President and former minister Paschal Donohoe, who left political life to become the World Bank\u2019s chief knowledge officer.<\/p>\n
Social Democrats candidate Daniel Ennis secured the most first preferences in the Dublin Central by-election, according to an unofficial tally of the ballots.<\/p>\n
With 100 per cent of boxes open, the tally put Ennis on 19.6 per cent of first preferences, followed by Sinn F\u00e9in\u2019s Janice Boylan on 17.7 per cent.<\/p>\n
Ennis and Boylan were followed by Green Party\u2019s Janet Horner (11.5 per cent) and Fine Gael\u2019s Ray McAdam (10.7 per cent).<\/p>\n
Gerard \u201cThe Monk\u201d Hutch, who has been described in court by a judge as the patriarchal figurehead of the Hutch criminal organisation, polled at 11.4 per cent.<\/p>\n
Next in the running are Independent Malachy Steenson (9.5 per cent), People Before Profit-Solidarity\u2019s Eoghan \u00d3 Ceannabh\u00e1in (6.7 per cent), Labour\u2019s Ruth O\u2019Dea (5.8 per cent), Fianna F\u00e1il\u2019s John Stephens (4.2 per cent), and Aont\u00fa\u2019s Ian Noel Smyth (2 per cent).<\/p>\n
With more than 95 per cent of boxes opened in Galway West, the tally put Independent Ireland and former Fianna F\u00e1il representative Noel Thomas on 20.2 per cent, Fine Gael\u2019s Sean Kyne on 19.9 per cent and Labour\u2019s Helen Ogbu on 11.8 per cent.<\/p>\n
Fianna F\u00e1il\u2019s candidate Cillian Keane is on 9.1 per cent, the Social Democrats\u2019 M\u00edde Nic Fhionnlaoich on 6.8 per cent, Galway mayor Mike Cubbard is on 7 per cent, and Sinn F\u00e9in\u2019s candidate Mark Lohan is on 6.5 per cent.<\/p>\n
Cillian Sherlock and Gr\u00e1inne N\u00ed Aodha, Press Association<\/p>\n
1.30pm<\/p>\n
Labour leader Ivana Bacik is hopeful transfers from the left will give Helen Ogbu the boost she needs to close the gap in Galway West.<\/p>\n
Galway West, 61% tallied:<\/p>\n
Thomas (INDIRL): 20.5%
Kyne (FG): 20.3%
Ogbu (LAB): 12.0%
Welby (IND): 8.2%
Keane (FF): 7.1%<\/p>\n
See the full LIVE tally as it comes in at https:\/\/t.co\/6aFNPANUwa<\/a>#ByElections26<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/9iNmf8p7EE<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Ireland Votes (@Ireland_Votes) May 23, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n If the first count reflects the tally tabulation, on 4.1%, this will be Fianna F\u00e1il’s worst ever election performance, beating their record low seen at the Dublin Bay South by-election in 2021.#ByElection26<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/JgZcJOToPp<\/a><\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/daniel-ennis-looking-set-for-victory-in-dublin-central-counting-in-galway-west-adjourned.jpg\")
<\/p>\n