‘There wasn’t the same wind behind us that there was in 2020, but it was still a great result’

There were jubilant scenes in Meath West last Saturday afternoon as Sinn Fein's Johnny Guirke topped the poll for the second time to take the first seat.

He was raised shoulder high by delighted supporters, along with a poster of the late Cllr Joe Reilly, who is credited with building up the party in Meath.

Guirke topped the poll with 8,604 votes but had to wait until the third count to be elected when transfers from Social Democrats' candidate Ronan Moore brought him over the line.

“I am absolutely delighted. Topping the poll is a massive acknowledgement of Sinn Fein and their team work.

“I want to thank the people of Meath West for voting for me. I have to give my team a special mention. They worked non stop for six weeks. There isn't a team like them in Ireland,” he said.

It was Guirke's second time to be elected to Dail Eireann having also topped the poll in 2020. He was at that time part of a wave of Sinn Féin candidates who took seats for the first time, despite former Sinn Fein TD, Peadar Toibin running against him, following Deputy Toibin's fall out with Sinn Fein over the abortion issue.

Deputy Guirke from Dromone, Oldcastle was facing into a difficult campaign when the election was called three weeks ago, with Sinn Fein lagging in the polls, and despite topping the poll, his share of the vote fell from 30.48 per cent to 23 per cent.

However this was largely due to the restructuring of constituency boundaries, which meant he had lost a sizeable chunk of the electorate on his own doorstep. The return of parts of Westmeath on the Meath Cavan border that were in the Meath West constituency in 2020, meant 5,000 voters in Guirke's immediate hinterland would not be voting in Meath.

“I received 2,000 votes from that area in 2020, so I was losing 40 per cent from that area,” he said.

“I’m delighted that I managed to top the poll even after losing such a big chunk of votes. There also wasn't the same wind behind us as a party that there was in 2020, so it was a great result after all,” he said.

Guirke, who came to prominence as a campaigner for better road conditions in north Meath, and has helped organise the hugely successful Moylagh 50-Mile Walk for the Irish Cancer Society, says he has been working on the ground for a long time.

“I am working in the community every week and I have been holding clinics all around the county, in Summerhill, Ballinabrackey and I think that is our strength, I got elected because of my work on the ground.

“I’m delighted for all the workers who went out knocking on doors for me. While a lot of people weren't answering door, from those we were talking to, we felt we were ahead of what the polls were saying. It was clear as we were canvassing that the support was there. There was a very strong message that people didn't want Fine Gael or Fianna Fail.

“I am delighted for all my campaign workers. I had a massive team of around 100 people behind me.”

As regards the formation of a government, Deputy Guirke said party leader Mary Lou McDonald had no problem sitting down with others to negotiate, but he expected Fianna Fail and Fine Gael would be trying to put a coalition together.

His party colleague, Cllr Eddie Fennessy, said Sinn Féin are now the largest party in Meath in terms of Dáil representation.

“Our campaign message centred around positive change and the need for a new government to deliver that change.

“Our message resonated with the people and they voted for our candidates in their thousands across the county. I worked on Johnny Guirke's campaign in Meath West. We put in a huge effort and our engagement with people on the doors was very positive.

“Apathy, as ever, played a big part in the election results. Less than 60 per cent of eligible voters cast their vote. Personally I think that politics needs to be introduced to the curriculum in secondary schools. We need to educate young people on the importance of casting a vote.

“I also think that compulsory voting needs to be introduced by the government. People ought to participate in the political process. Those elected make decisions that shape society and everybody should a voice in that process.

“I thank the many thousands of people who voted for Johnny, Darren and Maria in Meath. And the hundreds of thousands who voted Sinn Féin across the State.”