*Catherine Connolly.
PRESIDENT ELECT Catherine Connolly (IND) claimed the biggest share of the vote in Clare by a considerable distance with over sixty percent of the vote.
A turnout of 47.75% was recorded in Clare when the public went to the polls on Friday to determine who to vote for in the Presidential election. This was down on the 50.02% of the 2018 Presidential election.
Treacy’s Oakwood Hotel in Shannon was the venue for Saturday’s count and from early on it was clear that the Galway woman would soon be taking up residence at Arás an Uachtaráin.
Connolly claimed 24,732 votes (60.7%) followed by Heather Humphreys (FG) with 10,756 votes (26.7%). Despite his withdrawal at the beginning of October, Jim Gavin (FF) amassed 5,047 votes (12.6%).
One of the big stories of the election has been the amount of spoiled votes. In Clare, there was a total of 4,766 spoiled votes (10.6%), a 90% increase on the 449 from the 2018 Presidential election.
How Connolly unified a strong alliance of the left has been noted as a factor in her win but so too is the manner in which she managed to entice young people to volunteer for her campaign and to vote for her.
Catherine’s husband Brian McEnery hails from Ennis and is a former woodwork teacher, he taught for twenty five years at Garbally College in Ballinasloe and a further nine at St Joseph’s Patrician College in Galway City. They have been married for thirty three years and have two adult sons, Brian and Stephen. He moved to Galway with his family in 1988, one of five children he played football and hurling as a child before becoming a keen motorcyclist, driving a Harley-Davidson.
When he retired from teaching in 2009, Brian became active in community groups in 2009 such as the local men’s shed and the residents association in the Claddagh area of Galway City. His life changed significantly when he suffered a serious stroke in 2013. McEnery had been very active prior to this, running four Dublin Marathons and five triathlons.
Clare TD, Donna McGettigan (SF) described Connolly’s win as “a stunning result” and “a landslide victory”. She said, “she deserves huge credit for what she has achieved. An amazing candidate with a positive vision for the Presidency – a neutral Ireland, a united Ireland, a voice independent of government”.
Deputy McGettigan maintained, “Sinn Féin’s role was pivotal. Catherine moved from fourth to first when we got involved and went from strength to strength working alongside the combined opposition and thousands of ordinary people”.
She continued, “Our job now is to harness the energy and hope represented in this vote and direct it towards achieving new leadership for Ireland. During this Presidency we are also likely to see a poll on Irish Unity and the government needs to start preparing for it. This vote represents a resounding defeat for the politics of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, in the aftermath of a budget that left workers worse off. Fine Gael have also been punished for their decision to block other candidates getting on the ballot paper”.
Chair of the Social Democrats in Clare, Fiona Levie (SD) said the people of Ireland have “elected yet another wonderful President of the People and one who will remain true to the office she will hold”.
“Your smear campaign didn’t work,” remarked Cllr Tommy Guilfoyle (SF) remarked to this writer when he was in high spirits in Cusack Park as his adopted Clarecastle held a three point half-time lead over Sixmilebridge in the Minor A hurling final.
Fanore was the only polling booth in Clare to record more than a sixty percent turnout.
Presidential Election 2025 Turnout Clare:
Annaghneal = 56%
Ballinruan = 49%
Bodyke = 55%
Clarecastle = 47.37%
Clooney = 54%
Cooraclare = 51%
Connolly = 46%
Coore = 52%
Cratloe = 39%
Crusheen = 50%
Dromindoora = 51%
Ennis CBS = 41%
Ennistymon = 45%
Fanore = 69%
Feakle = 50%
Kilrush = 41.08%
Lahinch = 48.5%
Miltown Malbay = 51.16%
Moy = 53%
Mullagh = 37%
Newmarket-on-Fergus = 45.4%
O’Callaghans Mills = 49.7%
Quilty = 42%
Scariff = 46.5%
Tuamgraney = 54%
Tulla = 53.3%
Whitegate = 57%
