# 2019 Donegal County Council election

An election to all 37 seats on Donegal County Council took place on 24 May 2019 as part of the 2019 Irish local elections. County Donegal was divided into 7 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).

## Boundary changes

Following a recommendation of the 2018 Boundary Committee, the boundaries of the LEAs were altered from which had been used at the 2014 elections. Its terms of reference required no change in the total number of councillors but set a lower maximum LEA size of seven councillors, whereas Donegal in 2015 had LEAs of 10 and 9 seats. Other changes were necessitated by population shifts revealed by the 2016 census.

## Overview

Fianna Fáil gained an additional seat to reach 12 and also saw a slight increase in their vote share. Anthony Molloy – who captained the Donegal GAA team to the 1992 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship – won a seat for the party, as did rally driver Manus Kelly (both for the first time). However, Seamus O Domhnaill – Fianna Fáil's outgoing Cathaoirleach – was a notable casualty, as was former Senator Enda Bonner.
Unlike other performances around the State, Sinn Féin actually gained a seat in Donegal; increasing their numbers by 1 to 10 seats while seeing a slight reduction in vote share. Fine Gael retained 6 seats overall, while Independents saw a reduction of 2 seats. One Independent elected was John O'Donnell, who attracted controversy following an RTÉ Investigates programme into Irish councillors.

## Results by party

| Party | Party | Seats | ± | 1st pref | FPv% | ±% |
| | Fianna Fáil | 12 | 1 | 21,142 | 29.35 | 0.25 |
| | Sinn Féin | 10 | 1 | 13,953 | 19.37 | 0.23 |
| | Fine Gael | 6 | | 13,327 | 18.50 | 2.80 |
| | Labour | 1 | | 1,927 | 2.68 | 1.12 |
| | Aontú | 0 | | 2,265 | 3.14 | New |
| | People Before Profit | 0 | | 284 | 0.39 | 1.02 |
| | Renua | 0 | | 279 | 0.39 | New |
| | Independent | 8 | 2 | 18,857 | 26.18 | 3.22 |
| Total | Total | 37 | | 72,034 | 100.00 | |

## Results by local electoral area

^ *: Outgoing councillor elected in 2014. ^ †: Outgoing councillor coopted subsequent to the 2014 election.

### Buncrana

Buncrana: 5 Seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Paul Canning | 20.31% | 1,720 | | | | | | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Rena Donaghey | 16.96% | 1,436 | | | | | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Jack Murray | 16.70% | 1,414 | | | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Nicholas Crossan | 13.97% | 1,183 | 1,257 | 1,263 | 1,275 | 1,339 | 1,410 | 1,411 | 1,527 | |
| | Sinn Féin | Terry Crossan | 9.54% | 808 | 880 | 902 | 903 | 928 | 995 | 996 | 1,012 | 1,098 |
| | Fine Gael | Mickey Doherty | 6.28% | 532 | 588 | 599 | 601 | 608 | 624 | 624 | 739 | 835 |
| | Independent | Frankie Lavelle | 4.40% | 373 | 399 | 405 | 408 | 507 | 565 | 565 | 597 | |
| | Fine Gael | Michelle McKenna | 3.75% | 318 | 353 | 356 | 359 | 371 | 403 | 403 | | |
| | Aontú | Joe Murphy | 3.59% | 304 | 319 | 329 | 331 | | | | | |
| | Independent | Sinéad Stewart | 3.41% | 289 | 315 | 337 | 338 | 367 | | | | |
| | Independent | Mark McKinney | 1.09% | 92 | 96 | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 16,798 Valid: 8,469 Spoilt: 143 Quota: 1,412 Turnout: 51.27% |||||||||||||

### Carndonagh

Carndonagh: 4 Seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Martin McDermott | 34.59% | 2,501 | | | | | |
| | Labour | Martin Farren | 19.11% | 1,383 | 1,435 | 1,470 | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Albert Doherty | 15.91% | 1,151 | 1,413 | 1,460 | 1,460 | | |
| | Fine Gael | Bernard McGuinness | 14.41% | 1,043 | 1,323 | 1,355 | 1,362 | 1,368 | 1,448 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Marie Duffy | 8.67% | 627 | 1,022 | 1,057 | 1,060 | 1,066 | 1,156 |
| | Independent | Tracy Cullen | 3.90% | 282 | 311 | 347 | 352 | 352 | |
| | Aontú | Mary Rose Doherty | 2.69% | 195 | 226 | | | | |
| | Independent | Arthur Desmond McGuinness | 0.75% | 54 | 58 | | | | |
| Electorate: 14,062 Valid: 7,236 Spoilt: 94 Quota: 1,448 Turnout: 52.13% ||||||||||

### Donegal

Donegal: 6 Seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| | Independent | Niamh Kennedy | 10.77% | 1,540 | 1,544 | 1,568 | 1,585 | 1,661 | 1,682 | 1,749 | 1,759 | 1,938 | 2,031 | 2,322 | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Noel Jordan | 10.74% | 1,535 | 1,550 | 1,557 | 1,573 | 1,598 | 1,609 | 1,690 | 1,693 | 1,731 | 1,873 | 2,033 | 2,087 | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Michéal Naughton | 8.34% | 1,192 | 1,205 | 1,213 | 1,224 | 1,227 | 1,235 | 1,236 | 1,413 | 1,536 | 1,612 | 1,648 | 1,661 | 1,742 | 1,924 |
| | Fine Gael | Barry Sweeny | 7.81% | 1,116 | 1,126 | 1,151 | 1,215 | 1,217 | 1,263 | 1,264 | 1,353 | 1,360 | 1,376 | 1,424 | 1,432 | 1,917 | 1,958 |
| | Fine Gael | John McNulty | 6.84% | 978 | 978 | 978 | 980 | 1,106 | 1,106 | 1,148 | 1,153 | 1,199 | 1,214 | 1,393 | 1,453 | 1,463 | 1,547 |
| | Independent | Tom Conaghan | 6.60% | 944 | 979 | 987 | 993 | 1,000 | 1,004 | 1,017 | 1,028 | 1,058 | 1,272 | 1,373 | 1,397 | 1,435 | 1,831 |
| | Sinn Féin | Michael McMahon | 6.29% | 900 | 902 | 924 | 973 | 974 | 1,186 | 1,190 | 1,446 | 1,462 | 1,470 | 1,474 | 1,478 | 1,749 | 1,798 |
| | Independent | Seamus Maguire | 6.07% | 868 | 880 | 896 | 907 | 923 | 927 | 939 | 939 | 961 | 1,106 | 1,163 | 1,176 | 1,194 | |
| | Independent | Billy Grimes | 6.07% | 868 | 873 | 895 | 951 | 952 | 989 | 989 | 1,043 | 1,050 | 1,057 | 1,067 | 1,075 | | |
| | Fine Gael | John J Boyle | 5.53% | 791 | 793 | 793 | 795 | 810 | 810 | 886 | 888 | 970 | 1,001 | | | | |
| | Independent | Pauric Kennedy | 5.14% | 735 | 751 | 754 | 760 | 760 | 763 | 780 | 783 | 802 | | | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Philip McGlynn | 3.64% | 521 | 522 | 528 | 533 | 533 | 576 | 582 | | | | | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Eimear McGuinness | 3.48% | 497 | 498 | 502 | 506 | 527 | 527 | 591 | 631 | | | | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Roger Meehan | 3.38% | 483 | 484 | 485 | 487 | 503 | 504 | | | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Diarmaid Doherty | 2.72% | 389 | 394 | 399 | 432 | 432 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Seán Ó Beirne | 2.27% | 325 | 325 | 329 | 331 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | People Before Profit | Cyril Brennan | 1.99% | 284 | 288 | 319 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Valerie McNulty | 1.36% | 194 | 196 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Justin Coughlin | 0.97% | 138 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 23,075 Valid: 14,298 Spoilt: 165 Quota: 2,043 Turnout: 62.68% ||||||||||||||||||

### Glenties

Glenties: 6 Seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| | Independent | Micheál Choilm Mac Giolla Easbuig | 15.80% | 2,007 | | | | | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | John Sheamuis Ó Fearraigh | 11.25% | 1,429 | 1,464 | 1,501 | 1,558 | 1,740 | 1,750 | 1,782 | 2,050 | |
| | Sinn Féin | Maire Therese Gallagher | 8.57% | 1,089 | 1,103 | 1,152 | 1,241 | 1,286 | 1,324 | 1,615 | 1,658 | 1,693 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Noreen McGarvey | 8.01% | 1,018 | 1,023 | 1,043 | 1,103 | 1,155 | 1,171 | 1,402 | 1,499 | 1,506 |
| | Fine Gael | Michael McClafferty | 7.97% | 1,012 | 1,033 | 1,038 | 1,061 | 1,314 | 1,341 | 1,376 | 1,721 | 1,799 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Seamus O Domhnaill | 7.71% | 979 | 1,071 | 1,079 | 1,095 | 1,153 | 1,161 | 1,222 | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Brian Carr | 7.26% | 922 | 932 | 934 | 978 | 988 | 1,211 | 1,263 | 1,282 | 1,290 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Anthony Molloy | 7.21% | 916 | 928 | 932 | 964 | 999 | 1,400 | 1,574 | 1,702 | 1,713 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Enda Bonner | 7.03% | 893 | 914 | 926 | 975 | 1,023 | 1,056 | | | |
| | Independent | Liam Whyte | 6.47% | 822 | 844 | 856 | 910 | 934 | | | | |
| | Fine Gael | Evelyn Sweeney | 5.7% | 724 | 737 | 758 | 822 | | | | | |
| | Labour | Seamus Rodgers | 4.28% | 544 | 562 | 584 | | | | | | |
| | Aontú | Liam Mulligan | 2.75% | 349 | | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 23,165 Valid: 12,704 Spoilt: 147 Quota: 1,815 Turnout: 55.48% |||||||||||||

### Letterkenny

Letterkenny: 7 Seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Ciaran Brogan | 13.41% | 1,570 | | | | | | | | |
| | Fine Gael | Jimmy Kavanagh | 10.53% | 1,233 | 1,245 | 1,255 | 1,271 | 1,312 | 1,367 | 1,701 | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Donal Coyle | 10.18% | 1,192 | 1,209 | 1,211 | 1,231 | 1,249 | 1,273 | 1,348 | 1,389 | 1,444 |
| | Independent | Michael McBride | 9.75% | 1,141 | 1,155 | 1,159 | 1,174 | 1,297 | 1,360 | 1,430 | 1,464 | |
| | Independent | Kevin Bradley | 8.48% | 993 | 1,009 | 1,024 | 1,050 | 1,127 | 1,210 | 1,294 | 1,347 | 1,465 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Manus Mandy Kelly | 7.74% | 906 | 924 | 932 | 948 | 1,003 | 1,028 | 1,124 | 1,171 | 1,374 |
| | Aontú | Mary T Sweeney | 7.31% | 856 | 860 | 876 | 906 | 932 | 974 | 1,041 | 1,057 | 1,108 |
| | Sinn Féin | Gerry McMonagle | 7.17% | 839 | 845 | 873 | 903 | 926 | 972 | 995 | 1,003 | 1,398 |
| | Sinn Féin | Adrian Glackin | 6.83% | 799 | 804 | 813 | 838 | 877 | 935 | 957 | 969 | |
| | Fine Gael | Bernie Moran | 6.33% | 741 | 746 | 750 | 762 | 794 | 885 | | | |
| | Independent | Thoiba Ahmed | 4.48% | 525 | 527 | 571 | 637 | 653 | | | | |
| | Independent | Charlie McClafferty | 3.92% | 459 | 464 | 471 | 491 | | | | | |
| | Independent | Cathal McGlynn | 2.14% | 251 | 252 | 294 | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Finnian O'Donnell | 1.72% | 201 | 202 | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 22,826 Valid: 11,706 Spoilt: 130 Quota: 1,464 Turnout: 51.85% |||||||||||||

### Lifford–Stranorlar

Lifford–Stranorlar: 6 Seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| | Fine Gael | Martin Harley | 17.16% | 1,688 | | | | | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Patrick McGowan | 16.32% | 1,606 | | | | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Gary Doherty | 15.97% | 1,571 | | | | | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Gerry Crawford | 13.92% | 1,369 | 1,393 | 1,468 | | | | | |
| | Fine Gael | Frank McBrearty Jnr | 9.81% | 965 | 1,016 | 1,041 | 1,052 | 1,058 | 1,079 | 1,131 | 1,208 |
| | Sinn Féin | Liam Doherty | 7.56% | 744 | 776 | 799 | 924 | 929 | 974 | 1,036 | 1,195 |
| | Fine Gael | Garvan Connolly | 7.25% | 713 | 811 | 846 | 857 | 969 | 893 | 950 | 1,041 |
| | Independent | Alan McMenamin | 4.82% | 474 | 514 | 531 | 537 | | | | |
| | Renua | Maghnus Monaghan | 2.84% | 279 | 289 | 296 | 301 | 310 | 317 | | |
| | Aontú | John Hartnett | 2.27% | 223 | 231 | 238 | 240 | 245 | 264 | | |
| | Independent | Michael De Ward | 2.09% | 206 | 225 | 236 | 241 | 244 | | | |
| Electorate: 20,389 Valid: 9,838 Spoilt: 160 Quota: 1,406 Turnout: 49.01% ||||||||||||

### Milford

Milford: 3 Seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| | Independent | John O'Donnell | 25.17% | 1,959 | | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Liam Blaney | 22.05% | 1,716 | 1,812 | 1,968 | | |
| | Independent | Ian McGarvey | 10.34% | 805 | 893 | 1,062 | 1,219 | 1,522 |
| | Sinn Féin | Maria Doherty | 9.66% | 752 | 780 | 885 | 1,035 | |
| | Fine Gael | Noel McBride | 9.61% | 748 | 793 | 845 | | |
| | Fine Gael | Eimer Friel | 9.32% | 725 | 747 | 886 | 1,213 | 1,412 |
| | Independent | Declan Meehan | 8.70% | 677 | 722 | | | |
| | Aontú | Dermot Hardy | 4.34% | 338 | | | | |
| | Independent | Charlie McGinley | 0.81% | 63 | | | | |
| Electorate: 12,066 Valid: 7,783 Spoilt: 75 Quota: 1,946 Turnout: 65.13% |||||||||

### Footnotes

* 1 2 3 See change below.

## Results by gender

2019 Donegal County Council election Candidates by gender :
| Gender | Number of candidates | % of candidates | Elected councillors | % of councillors |
| Men | 74 | 69.2% | 34 | 91.9% |
| Women | 33 | 30.8% | 3 | 8.1% |
| TOTAL | 107 | | 37 | |

## Changes
### Co-options

| Party | Outgoing | LEA | Reason | Date | Co-optee |
| Fianna Fáil | Manus Kelly | Letterkenny | Death in June 2019 | November 2019 | Donal Kelly |
| Fianna Fáil | Donal Kelly | Letterkenny | Resignation | September 2020 | Donal Kelly Jnr |
| Fine Gael | Bernard McGuinness | Carndonagh | Death | 28 August 2021 | Johnny McGuinness |
| Independent | Ian McGarvey | Milford | Retirement | February 2023 | Pauric McGarvey |
| Sinn Féin | Máire Therese Gallagher | Glenties | Retirement | March 2024 | Brian Carr |
| Fianna Fáil | Noreen Garvey | Glenties | Death | 29 December 2023 | Vacant |

### Change in affiliation

| Name | LEA | Elected as | Elected as | New affiliation | New affiliation | Date |
| Frank McBrearty Jnr | Lifford–Stranorlar | | Fine Gael | | Independent | June 2019 |
| Michael McClafferty | Glenties | | Fine Gael | | Independent | January 2020 |

## Sources

* "Donegal County Council - Local Election candidates". RTÉ News. 13 May 2019. Archived from the original on 26 May 2019. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
* "Local Elections 2019: Results, Transfer of Votes and Statistics" (PDF). Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (DHPLG). pp. 89–97. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2020. Retrieved 10 June 2020.