# 1979 Donegal County Council election

An election to all 28 seats on Donegal County Council took place on 7 June 1979 as part of the 1979 Irish local elections. County Donegal was divided into five county local electoral areas 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 1985.

## Results by party

| Party | Party | Seats | ± | 1st pref | FPv% | ± |
| | Fianna Fáil | 11 | | 24,516 | 40.08% | 4.44% |
| | Fine Gael | 10 | | 18,260 | 29.85% | 4.56% |
| | Independent Fianna Fáil | 4 | | 10,245 | 16.75% | 5.68% |
| | Sinn Féin | 1 | 1 | 3,055 | 5.00% | 3.16% |
| | Sinn Féin The Workers' Party | 1 | | 2,195 | 3.59% | 0.34% |
| | Donegal Progressive Party | 1 | | 1,728 | 2.82% | 0.32% |
| | Independent | 0 | 2 | 1,167 | 1.91% | 7.61% |
| Total | Total | 28 | | 61,166 | 100.00% | |

## Results by local electoral area

^ *: Incumbent councillor.

### Buncrana

Buncrana: 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 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 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Hugh Conaghan TD | 14.1% | 1,868 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Eddie Fullerton | 10.1% | 1,331 | 1,355 | 1,369 | 1,424 | 1,428 | 1,434 | 1,443 | 1,445 | 1,478 | 1,491 | 1,614 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Conal Doogan | 9.6% | 1,267 | 1,271 | 1,276 | 1,430 | 1,582 | 1,592 | 1,600 | 1,604 | 2,248 | | |
| | Fine Gael | Sean McLaughlin | 8.9% | 1,176 | 1,187 | 1,201 | 1,225 | 1,231 | 1,331 | 1,444 | 1,444 | 1,451 | 1,452 | 1,931' |
| | Fine Gael | Bernard McGuinness | 7.6% | 1,005 | 1,008 | 1,012 | 1,020 | 1,033 | 1,097 | 1,417 | 1,417 | 1,507 | 1,532 | 1,832 |
| | Independent Fianna Fáil | Michael Deery | 7.6% | 1,001 | 1,018 | 1,064 | 1,075 | 1,088 | 1,093 | 1,111 | 1,113 | 1,243 | 1,316 | 1,344 |
| | Independent Fianna Fáil | Paddy Keaveney | 6.8% | 896 | 909 | 994 | 1,011 | 1,133 | 1,142 | 1,361 | 1,366 | 1,393 | 1,403 | 1,441 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Denis McGonagle | 6.7% | 885 | 889 | 892 | 924 | 1,098 | 1,100 | 1,110 | 1,110 | — | | |
| | Fine Gael | Harry Gillen | 6.0% | 798 | 804 | 804 | 806 | 854 | 1,035 | — | | | | |
| | Fine Gael | Seamus Gill | 5.9% | 780 | 794 | 800 | 835 | 840 | 1,060 | 1,220 | 1,221 | 1,234 | 1,236 | — |
| | Fine Gael | Jim Devenney | 5.2% | 693 | 693 | 718 | 722 | 724 | — | | | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Sean McBride | 4.6% | 609 | 611 | 613 | 650 | — | | | | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Karl Deery | 3.4% | 445 | 460 | 463 | — | | | | | | | |
| | Independent Fianna Fáil | Sean McDaid | 2.2% | 293 | 325 | — | | | | | | | | |
| | Independent Fianna Fáil | Mick Gallagher | 1.2% | 154 | — | | | | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Patrick Kelly | 0.2% | 27 | — | | | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 17,987 Valid: 13,030 (98.5%) Spoilt: 198 Quota: 1,890 Turnout: 13,228 (73.54%) |||||||||||||||

### Donegal

Donegal: 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 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Clement Coughlan | 22.3% | 2,869 | | | | | | | | |
| | Fine Gael | Michael Melly | 12.8% | 1,649 | 1,671 | 1,682 | 1,684 | 1,689 | 1,702 | 1,711 | 1,759 | 1,773 |
| | Sinn Féin | Joe O'Neill | 9.6% | 1,241 | 1,285 | 1,324 | 1,337 | 1,384 | 1,440 | 1,470 | 1,491 | 1,552 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Brian McEniff | 9.5% | 1,220 | 1,341 | 1,348 | 1,350 | 1,357 | 1,373 | 1,402 | 1,412 | 1,602 |
| | Fine Gael | Colm Gallagher | 8.8% | 1,140 | 1,312 | 1,312 | 1,316 | 1,391 | 1,488 | 1,503 | 1,562 | 1,591 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Brian Gallagher | 7.4% | 957 | 1,175 | 1,177 | 1,186 | 1,220 | 1,402 | 1,472 | 1,487 | 1,678 |
| | Fianna Fáil | James McBrearty | 6.3% | 809 | 960 | 961 | 1,003 | 1,020 | 1,032 | 1,226 | 1,395 | — |
| | Fine Gael | Sean McNialluis | 5.6% | 728 | 731 | 732 | 779 | 785 | 786 | 816 | — | |
| | Fine Gael | Thomas Murphy | 5.6% | 718 | 785 | 786 | 794 | 821 | 827 | 993 | 1,407 | 1,576 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Patrick McGinley | 4.5% | 579 | 651 | 651 | 667 | 701 | 703 | — | | |
| | Independent Fianna Fáil | Hugh Cassidy | 3.1% | 401 | 477 | 490 | 501 | 584 | — | | | |
| | Independent Fianna Fáil | John Murray | 2.3% | 292 | 371 | 384 | 389 | — | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin The Workers' Party | Michael Byrne | 1.5% | 192 | 194 | 195 | — | | | | | |
| | Independent Fianna Fáil | Val Wynne | 0.7% | 96 | 96 | — | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 16,519 Valid: 12,891 Quota: 1,842 |||||||||||||

### Glenties

Glenties: 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Paddy Delap | 20.6% | '2,391 | | | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin The Workers' Party | Seamus Rogers | 13.1% | 1,519 | 1,599 | 1,653 | 1,736 | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Pat The Cope Gallagher | 12.1% | 1,411 | 1,632 | 1,649 | 1,663 | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Sean McNelis | 9.9% | 1,149 | 1,306 | 1,310 | 1,469 | 1,495 | 1,506 | 1,524 |
| | Independent Fianna Fáil | John Kelly | 9.3% | 1,084 | 1,128 | 1,141 | 1,241 | 1,247 | 1,256 | 1,576 |
| | Fine Gael | Pat Slowey | 8.5% | 992 | 995 | 997 | 1,104 | 1,121 | 1,182 | 1,220 |
| | Fine Gael | James Doohan | 7.1% | 822 | 866 | 873 | 877 | 882 | 938 | — |
| | Fine Gael | Jim Coyle | 6.9% | 800 | 832 | 841 | 842 | 843 | — | |
| | Fine Gael | Fred Coll | 6.4% | 746 | 859 | 899 | 903 | 903 | 1,285 | 1,581 |
| | Fianna Fáil | John McLoone | 4.4% | 514 | 519 | 526 | — | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Donal De Barra | 1.7% | 198 | 229 | — | | | | |
| Electorate: 16,684 Valid: 11,626 (98.65%) Spoilt: 159 Quota: 1,661 Turnout: 11,785 (70.64%) |||||||||||

### Letterkenny

Letterkenny: 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| | Fine Gael | Paddy Harte TD | 13.9% | 2,046 | 2,073 | 2,124 | | | | | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Paddy McGowan | 13.8% | 2,033 | 2,086 | 2,094 | 2,099 | 2,209 | | | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Bernard McGlinchey | 12.7% | 1,868 | 1,888 | 2,064 | 2,163 | | | | | | |
| | Donegal Progressive Party | William Buchanan | 11.7% | 1,728 | 1,745 | 1,749 | 1,846 | 1,864 | 1,864 | 1,865 | 1,866 | 1,909 | 1,929 |
| | Fine Gael | J.J. Reid | 8.0% | 1,188 | 1,256 | 1,271 | 1,499 | 1,562 | 1,567 | 1,571 | 1,578 | 1,626 | 1,697 |
| | Independent Fianna Fáil | Charles O'Donnell | 7.5% | 1,106 | 1,118 | 1,173 | 1,220 | 1,260 | 1,263 | 1,280 | 1,284 | 1,339 | 1,425 |
| | Independent Fianna Fáil | Susan McGonagle | 6.6% | 979 | 1,065 | 1,104 | 1,117 | 1,162 | 1,167 | 1,171 | 1,171 | 1,211 | 1,616 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Joseph Peoples | 5.5% | 817 | 820 | 835 | 850 | 911 | 928 | 942 | 942 | — | |
| | Independent Fianna Fáil | Gabriel Gordon | 5.5% | 812 | 848 | 872 | 876 | 934 | 946 | 952 | 954 | 975 | — |
| | Independent | Billy Gallagher | 4.7% | 695 | 704 | 737 | 753 | — | | | | | |
| | Fine Gael | May McClintock | 3.8% | 562 | 572 | 610 | — | | | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin The Workers' Party | Sean O'Donnell | 3.3% | 484 | 501 | — | | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Charles Long | 3.0% | 445 | — | | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 20,479 Valid: 14,763 (98.16%) Spoilt: 277 Quota: 2,110 Turnout: 15,040 (73.44%) ||||||||||||||

### Milford

Milford: 4 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| | Independent Fianna Fáil | Harry Blaney | 20.8% | 1,805 | | | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Noel McGinley | 17.8% | 1,545 | 1,547 | 1,610 | 1,690 | 1,783 | |
| | Fine Gael | William McCafferty | 14.6% | 1,262 | 1,265 | 1,284 | 1,344 | 1,376 | 1,515 |
| | Fine Gael | Joachim Loughrey | 13.3% | 1,155 | 1,167 | 1,182 | 1,266 | 1,290 | 1,425 |
| | Independent Fianna Fáil | Rosemary McCafferty | 10.2% | 882 | 919 | 972 | 1,004 | 1,286 | 1,368 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Ian McGarvey | 9.2% | 797 | 800 | 808 | 960 | 969 | — |
| | Fianna Fáil | William Friel | 5.6% | 483 | 490 | 503 | — | | |
| | Independent Fianna Fáil | Hugh McClafferty | 5.1% | 444 | 450 | 514 | 537 | — | |
| | Sinn Féin | Pat Doherty | 3.3% | 285 | 288 | — | | | |
| Electorate: 10,790 Valid: 8,658 (98.04%) Spoilt: 173 Quota: 1,732 Turnout: 8,831 (84.81%) ||||||||||