The constituency of Roscommon-Galway is officially a three-seater for the election now almost certain to be held at the end of this month – but in reality there are only two seats in play. That is because, in 2020, Independent Ireland (and then plain independent) candidate Michael Fitzmaurice ran away from the field and cruised home with almost 29% of first preference votes cast. There is no political observer who expects anything other than a repeat performance from Fitzmaurice this time, which leaves only two seats in play for the rest of the field.
Of those two seats, one is being vacated voluntarily: Denis Naughten, the long time Fine Gael TD who left the party to become an independent in 2011 and has represented the area since 1997 in one or other guise is standing down at the ripe young age of 51. The third seat is held by Sinn Fein’s Claire Kerrane, who became a surprise Sinn Fein gain in 2020, when she unseated Fianna Fáil’s Eugene Murphy, and who is seeking re-election this time.
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