Laois-Offaly goes against the grain by returning two Fianna Fáil deputies
In a count that lasted until the early hours of Tuesday morning, both Barry Cowen, brother of Taoiseach Brian from Offaly and Sean Fleming from County Laois, were elected. Sean Fleming said he was humbled by the result and he wanted the electorate to know that “we have taken on board what you’ve said”.
Neither Fleming nor Cowen reached the quota. That feat was achieved only by Fine Gael’s sitting TD in Laois, Charlie Flanagan, and Offaly running mate, newcomer Marcella Corcoran Kennedy. The constituency also elected its first Sinn Féin TD in close to 100 years when Portlaoise-based Brian Stanley took a seat in his third election.
