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.

This was originally devised for fear weather would prevent boxes from reaching the mainland in time, however glorious sunshine yesterday meant there was no such threat.

Simon Murray of the Inishbofin Development Company said the practice was outdated and disenfranchised island voters.

“You have people from the island who are working or doing exams and they would be able to make it back on a Friday evening but not on a Thursday. It is totally disenfranchising for a lot of people.

“To be honest with you it is a bit of a joke, with the modern ferries that are there now there is no reason for having it on earlier than everywhere else.”

It is the returning officer for each county council who rules on whether the days can be moved to coincide with election day.

However, despite compromises in some regions the western seaboard still had to make its voice heard yesterday.

By mid-afternoon Padraig O’Malley at the polling station on Clare Island reported steady turnout.

“We are at about 34% already, out of 112 registered voters. The sun is shining, it is an absolutely fantastic day for people to come out,” he said.

A member of An Garda Siochána watched on until last night when the boxes were sealed and taken to Castlebar for tomorrow’s count.

More than 80km farther south, on the largest of the voting islands, Inis Mór on the Aran Islands, had a slightly slower early morning turnout.

At its polling station Leanna Gill said 54 voters had registered their votes by 3pm.

With 824 people Inis Mór is the most populated of the offshore voting centres, nearby Inis Oirr and Inis Meain voted at their own polling stations.