All posts by djmoore

THE POLL-TOPPERS IN CAVAN IN 2016

Working on Cavan Maps for the 2016 General Election at the moment.

Here’s a sneak preview of the Poll-toppers.

CavanGeneral Elections 2016Cavan-MonaghanPollToppers

The fact that Heather Humphreys was the highest poller in Cootehill and surrounds goes a long way towards highlighting Fine Gael’s failure to manage their vote and keep their two seats.

Niamh Smyth polled strongly in Bailieborough and surrounding areas (most notably in Shercock), and this combined with a good showing in South Monaghan just about managed to get her over the line ahead of Joe O’Reilly of Fine Gael.

Kathryn Reilly topped the poll in Ballyjamesduff and in Cavan town – but failed to make the anticipated breakthrough.

KILDARE 1961 – THE FRANKENSTEIN CONSTITUENCY

As part as my submission to the Constituency Commission, I went back and had a look at the various forms the Kildare Constituency has taken over the years.

Kildare 1961

Certainly the oddest was the 4 seat Kildare constituency created in 1961 which took in parts of South-West Meath and South-East Westmeath. It featured in two General Elections (1961 and 1965) and both times returned two Fianna Fail TDs (including the Meath-based Brendan Crinion both times), one Fine Gael TD and one Labour TD.

There was a by-election in 1964 following the death of Labour Leader William /Norton, which was won by Fianna Fail. His son Patrick Norton won a seat for Labour in 1965, but joined Fianna Fail in 1967, and lost his seat standing as a Fianna Fail candidate in 1969. He afterwards was a Fianna Fail senator.

The Fine Gael vote in Cavan in 2002

Blast From The Past….

The Fine Gael vote in Cavan in 2002 – as can be seen their vote was strongest between Baileborough and Cavan town. Despite their two Cavan candidates polling over 9,500 votes between them compared to 6,113 for Monaghan-based Seymour Crawford, Crawford edged out Andrew Boylan by 121 votes on the last count.Cavan FG 2002

Continue reading The Fine Gael vote in Cavan in 2002

Brexit – The Age Breakdown

A lot has been written about a “Divided Britain” in the wake of the Brexit vote – about sharp schisms of opinion between the young and the old, the Middle-Class and the Working-Class, the Financially Stable and the Financially Precarious, the Highly-educated and the Poorly-educated etc. There is definitely truth inasmuch as the Polling data definitely points towards such.

Brexit Age 1

However, taking the differing turnout rates – in as much as we can estimate them – throws up a more nuanced picture. Continue reading Brexit – The Age Breakdown