Islanders cast votes as sunshine puts paid to weather threat

MEDITERRANEAN weather and glassy seas along the western seaboard made a mockery of the reason hundreds of islanders had to cast their ballots yesterday.

Boxes in polling stations off Galway, Mayo and Donegal closed at 7pm last night with the ballots taken to the respective count centres where they will be opened along with boxes sealed this evening.

Some islands will vote with the rest of the country but along the west coast they are compelled to preserve the traditional practice of opening at least a day early.