1985 Donegal County Council election

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1985 Donegal County Council election
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20 June 1985
1991  →
All 29 seats on Donegal County Council
 First partySecond partyThird party
 
Party Fianna Fáil Fine Gael Independent Fianna Fáil
Seats won1195
Seat changeSteady2.svgDecrease2.svg 1Increase2.svg 1
 Fourth partyFifth partySixth party
 
Party Sinn Féin Workers' Party Donegal Progressive Party
Seats won21Steady2.svg
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 1Steady2.svgIncrease2.svg 1
Donegal in Ireland.svg
Area of Donegal County Council

An election to all 29 seats on Donegal County Council took place on 20 June 1985 as part of the 1985 Irish local elections. County Donegal was divided into six local electoral areas (LEAs) to elect councillors for a five-year term of office on the electoral system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (PR-STV). This term was extended for a further year, to 1991. [1] In February 1985 the County and County Borough Commission recommended that membership in Donegal County Council be increased, resulting in the available seats increasing to 29. [2]

Contents

Results by party

PartySeats±1st prefFPv% [3] ±%
Fianna Fáil 11Steady2.svg22,25935.94%Decrease2.svg 4.14%
Fine Gael 9Decrease2.svg 118,34729.62%Decrease2.svg 0.23%
Independent Fianna Fáil 5Increase2.svg 110,59717.1%Increase2.svg 0.35%
Sinn Féin 2Increase2.svg 14,2906.93%Increase2.svg 1.93%
Donegal Progressive Party 1Steady2.svg1,5062.46%Decrease2.svg 0.36%
Workers' Party 1Steady2.svg1,3522.2%Decrease2.svg 1.39%
Labour 0Steady2.svg4250.7%—
Independent 0Decrease2.svg 13,1655.55%Increase2.svg 0.82%
Total29Increase2.svg 157,013100.00%—

Results by local electoral area

Buncrana

Buncrana: 6 seats [4]
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
12345678910
Fianna Fáil Hugh Conaghan TD*1,977         
Fine Gael Bernard McGuinness*1,6811,709 1,713 1,722 1,879     
Sinn Féin Eddie Fullerton *1,3841,400 1,419 1,526 1,546 1,548 1,651 1,677 1,843 
Fianna Fáil Denis McGonagle1,2181,242 1,255 1,269 1,278 1,280 1,421 1,425 1,716 1,735
Fine Gael Seamus Gill975987 993 1,041 1,143 1,160 1,274 1,578 1,603 1,613
Independent Fianna Fáil Paddy Keaveney *927934 941 1,056 1,107 1,111 1,132 1,302 1,577 1,601
Fianna Fáil Seán McBride*905908 936 958 973 974 1,202 1,270 1,306 1,314
Independent Fianna Fáil Albert Doherty787861 866 967 980 980 1,020 1,034   
Fianna Fáil Bríd Bonner640652 752 810 825 826     
Fine Gael Harry Gillen618629 630 641 773 846 851    
Fine Gael Kenneth Weir565581 584 587       
Independent Fianna Fáil Helen Doherty547552 564        
Labour Martin Robins223         
Electorate: 19,273  Valid: 12,447 (64.58%)  Spoilt: 207  Quota: 1,779  Turnout: 12,654  

    Donegal

    Donegal: 6 seats [5]
    PartyCandidateFPv%Count
    12345678
    Fianna Fáil Cathal Coughlan TD*2,975       
    Fine Gael Frank O'Kelly*1,6871,719 1,733 1,763 1,833   
    Fianna Fáil Sean McEniff 1,6311,785 1,800 1,851    
    Fine Gael Colm Gallagher*1,2741,410 1,413 1,414 1,592 1,688 1,689 1,694
    Fianna Fáil James McBrearty*1,1831,331 1,334 1,337 1,465 1,555 1,561 1,562
    Fine Gael Padraig Carr1,0211,042 1,042 1,047 1,494 1,551 1,554 1,559
    Sinn Féin Anthony O'Malley-Daly1,0121,071 1,083 1,109 1,149    
    Fine Gael Tommy Murphy*924996 997 1,002     
    Fianna Fáil Peter Kennedy8371,357 1,360 1,362 1,390 1,565 1,570 
    Independent Michael Mulhern142145 156      
    Independent Bernard Mangan6573       
    Electorate: 17,721  Valid: 12,751 (71.95%)  Spoilt: 115  Quota: 1,822  Turnout: 12,866  

      Glenties

      Glenties: 6 seats [6]
      PartyCandidateFPv%Count
      12345678910
      Fianna Fáil Pat The Cope Gallagher TD*2,095         
      Independent Fianna Fáil Paddy Delap*1,3941,406 1,438 1,468 1,486 1,502 1,667 1,678 1,681 1,964
      Workers' Party Seamus Rogers*1,3521,390 1,448 1,500 1,515 1,728 1,800 2,055  
      Independent Fianna Fáil John Kelly*1,0891,092 1,113 1,159 1,272 1,279 1,295 1,306 1,311 1,324
      Fine Gael Maureen Doohan1,0711,073 1,079 1,080 1,174 1,220 1,244 1,255 1,261 1,674
      Fine Gael Connell Boyle1,0681,074 1,080 1,113 1,117 1,215 1,216 1,433 1,466 1,671
      Independent Michael Lynch1,0111,014 1,020 1,049 1,051 1,056 1,057    
      Fianna Fáil Sean McNelis*1,0051,032 1,036 1,176 1,216 1,231 1,402 1,723 1,781 1,794
      Fine Gael Fred Coll*988992 1,004 1,005 1,008 1,090 1,185 1,195 1,200  
      Fianna Fáil Sean Hanrai O Gallchoir647682 720 725 854 875     
      Fine Gael Pat Gallagher586610 610 614 620      
      Fianna Fáil Hugh McGarvey485503 509 513       
      Independent Fianna Fáil John McLoone376378 383        
      Sinn Féin Breandan O Rahallai264266         
      Electorate: 19,700  Valid: 13,431 (68.18%)  Spoilt: 146  Quota: 1,919  Turnout: 13,577  

        Letterkenny

        Letterkenny: 7 seats [7]
        PartyCandidateFPv%Count
        1234567891011
        Fianna Fáil Patrick McGowan *1,7781,785 1,837        
        Fine Gael Paddy Harte TD*1,5631,581 1,589 1,617 1,653 1,690 1,808 1,867   
        Donegal Progressive Party William Buchanan*1,5061,518 1,524 1,531 1,538 1,541 1,591 1,626 1,627 1,629 1,629
        Fianna Fáil Bernard McGlinchey *1,3801,393 1,402 1,487 1,583 1,755 1,862    
        Sinn Féin Liam McElhinney1,3211,343 1,378 1,392 1,412 1,469 1,606 1,707 1,710 1,716 1,718
        Fine Gael J.J. Reid*1,0911,109 1,161 1,174 1,205 1,231 1,251 1,329 1,345 1,346 1,361
        Independent Fianna Fáil Danny Harkin1,0881,092 1,113 1,129 1,234 1,543 1,660 1,829   
        Fine Gael Laurence Blake1,0571,092 1,098 1,139 1,154 1,241 1,279 1,299 1,303 1,314 1,316
        Independent Charles Meehan853857 868 888 896 913      
        Fianna Fáil Michael Gamble832835 844 867 963 968 986     
        Independent Fianna Fáil James Larkin 756772 777 800 814       
        Fianna Fáil Jackie Harris447453 462 486        
        Fianna Fáil Brian Grieve333340 342         
        Independent Charles Long267274          
        Labour Anne Wilkinson202          
        Electorate: 22,176  Valid: 14,474 (65.37%)  Spoilt: 156  Quota: 1,810  Turnout: 14,630  

          Milford

          Milford: 4 seats [8]
          PartyCandidateFPv%Count
          123456
          Independent Fianna Fáil Harry Blaney *1,5471,598 1,654 1,829  
          Fianna Fáil Noel McGinley*1,4801,538 1,673 1,735 1,749 1,955
          Fine Gael Joachim Loughrey*1,2021,217 1,261 1,432 1,445 1,522
          Independent Fianna Fáil Edward O'Donnell1,2021,238 1,296 1,434 1,452 1,908
          Fine Gael William McCafferty*976987 1,013 1,103 1,109 1,154
          Independent Fianna Fáil Sean McGee884960 978 1,010 1,020  
          Independent Elizabeth Grier827855 918    
          Fianna Fáil Ronan Sweeney411413     
          Sinn Féin Martin Monaghan309     
          Electorate: 11,594  Valid: 8,838 (76.23%)  Spoilt: 89  Quota: 1,768  Turnout: 8,927  

            Postal vote fraud

            In late 2015, a previously-sealed National Archives paper revealed a voting fraud scheme occurring just prior to the election. In June 1985, a Garda investigation was launched following the secretary of Donegal County Council reporting irregularities. Of the 3,274 applications made for postal votes in the county, only 634 were considered to be compliant with application procedures. Various irregularities were found including: applications containing dubious signatures, a large numbers of applicants claiming to be employment in professions in far exceeding those known to be present in the area, a difference in ink used between filling out the form and signing, and a number of individuals witnessing multiple applications at the same time and place. While the irregularities occurred in all electoral areas, Glenties and Milford had the most.

            When the returning officer for the county council returned certain forms requesting clarification he reported that some individuals stated they had no memory of making applications, others had returned their forms with a different professions to that state on the initial form, and many denied witnessing the signatures they were supposedly present for.

            In one such case a member of the council approached a house from which a number of applications had supposedly came from, only to discover the house was occupied by students with no knowledge of the applications. The students did state however that they been approached by an unidentified male who advised they claim they had made the applications and that any voting cards issued to the house would be collected later. In another case, one person apparently presented nine different applications for approval. [9] [10]

            The voting fraud scheme appeared to have been a failure, since only fully compliant applications were issued with voting cards. [9] A government memo stated that the Gardaí intended to investigate the other 2,640 suspicious applications. [9] [10]

            References

            1. ↑ Local Elections (Specification of Local Election Year) Order 1990 ( S.I. No. 104 of 1990 ). Signed on 30 April 1990. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland .Retrieved from Irish Statute Book .
            2. ↑ "Introduction: Electoral Area Boundaries Commission" (PDF). Local Elections, 1985 Election Results and Transfer of Votes in respect of each County, and County Borough Council and Election Statistics relating to all local authorities. Department of the Environment. Dublin: Stationary Office. August 1986. p. vii (9 in PDF). Retrieved 28 October 2019– via Oireachtas. Both commissions reported in February, 1985. The County and County Borough Commission recommended that the membership of the following county councils should be increased: Clare (one extra), Cork (two extra), Donegal (one extra)...{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
            3. ↑ "Table B Local Elections, 1985" (PDF). Local Elections, 1985 Election Results and Transfer of Votes in respect of each County, and County Borough Council and Election Statistics relating to all local authorities. Department of the Environment. Dublin: Stationary Office. August 1986. p. 253 (267 in PDF). Retrieved 28 October 2019– via Oireachtas.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
            4. ↑ "Donegal County Council: Buncrana Local Electoral Area" (PDF). Local Elections, 1985 Election Results and Transfer of Votes in respect of each County, and County Borough Council and Election Statistics relating to all local authorities. Department of the Environment. Dublin: Stationary Office. August 1986. pp. 28-29 (40-41 in PDF). Retrieved 28 October 2019– via Oireachtas.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
            5. ↑ "Donegal County Council: Donegal Local Electoral Area" (PDF). Local Elections, 1985 Election Results and Transfer of Votes in respect of each County, and County Borough Council and Election Statistics relating to all local authorities. Department of the Environment. Dublin: Stationary Office. August 1986. pp. 34 (46 in PDF). Retrieved 28 October 2019– via Oireachtas.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
            6. ↑ "Donegal County Council: Glenties Local Electoral Area" (PDF). Local Elections, 1985 Election Results and Transfer of Votes in respect of each County, and County Borough Council and Election Statistics relating to all local authorities. Department of the Environment. Dublin: Stationary Office. August 1986. pp. 30-31 (42-43 in PDF). Retrieved 28 October 2019– via Oireachtas.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
            7. ↑ "Donegal County Council: Letterkenny Local Electoral Area" (PDF). Local Elections, 1985 Election Results and Transfer of Votes in respect of each County, and County Borough Council and Election Statistics relating to all local authorities. Department of the Environment. Dublin: Stationary Office. August 1986. pp. 32-33 (44-45 in PDF). Retrieved 28 October 2019– via Oireachtas.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
            8. ↑ "Donegal County Council: Milford Local Electoral Area" (PDF). Local Elections, 1985 Election Results and Transfer of Votes in respect of each County, and County Borough Council and Election Statistics relating to all local authorities. Department of the Environment. Dublin: Stationary Office. August 1986. p. 35 (47 in PDF). Retrieved 28 October 2019– via Oireachtas.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
            9. 1 2 3 Brennan, Cianan (1 January 2016). "The great Donegal postal voting scam of 1985". The Journal . Retrieved 1 February 2026.
            10. 1 2 McCarthaigh, Sean (30 December 2015). "National Archives 1985: 80% of Donegal postal vote applications invalid". Irish Examiner . Retrieved 1 February 2026.
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