Top Issue 1-2024

4 March 2011

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Poll topping performance in Louth

BY STEPHANIE LORD

WALKING INTO the count centre in Dundalk on Saturday morning was unnerving. Consistent late nights over the course of the campaign and hard work from the Sinn Féin canvassers had made people tired. But they were excited and it was nothing that the a few cups of coffee couldn’t fix.
There was a lot riding on this and we knew it but the morning’s exit polls looked decent and having canvassed over 70,000 doors in Louth the local organisation was quietly confident there’d be a positive result. The Fianna Fáil canvassers, on the other hand, looked weary and dispirited.
As the boxes began to open, it was all getting too much for some of our councillors. One of them wasn’t handling things so well. “How are you? And can I get a quote for the Phoblacht?” says I. “I’ve been to the bathroom. I don’t feel well at all. It’s the nerves,” they replied and then scuttled off again in the direction of the loo.
Gerry Adams arrived at midday and the media scrum was unbelievable.
Gerry looked set to take the second seat in Louth. It was a lot to take in for most people.
One Sinn Féin member told me that the results that were coming for the party elsewhere were quite unexpected. “We canvassed 70,000 doors in Louth. We are making historic gains. This just goes to show all the negative media naysayers that the people have spoken. They’ve made a decision to make Gerry Adams their TD. The Star had him written off yesterday. We knew he’d do it, but we never expected anything like this.”
Larry Downes, President of the Friends of Sinn Féin in the USA, was a little bemused at the hand-counting process going on, having never been to a count before. “It’s very antiquated but interesting. It makes an event of elections that just doesn’t happen in the US,” he said with a smile.
The stress in some corners was palpable – in the Fianna Fáil corners that is. The afternoon went on and there was an unbelievable amount of excitement everywhere else around the place. Gerry had topped the poll.
There were more than a few people there who couldn’t quite believe it until the Returning Officer made the announcement. 15,072 votes for Gerry Adams – but all we heard was “Fifteen thous . . .” and then a thunderous applause from the Sinn Féin crowd as the party president was hoisted upon people’s shoulders. Tears rolled down the face of one woman and the Tricolour was waved in excitement as supporters chanted, “Topped the poll, topped the poll!” It felt like Ireland had just won the World Cup.
It was a momentous occasion and the room was electric. 15,072 votes for Gerry Adams – Teachta Dála!

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