SURPRISE IN THE CURRENCY

A counter at the Count John McCormack Center in Athlone, Co Westmeath found a very expensive item among the ballot papers this morning.

An unfortunate voter managed to leave behind more than just his voting preferences yesterday when his wedding ring slipped into a ballot box at Gael Scoil an Choilin in Mullingar.

One of the counters in the center, Peter Creamer, discovered the wedding ring while rummaging through the ballots this morning.

The surprise find was shared on social media in an attempt to alert the owner of the lost silver band.

A picture of Peter holding the ring was posted online by RTE Longford-Westmeath’s election coverage page.

The image was captioned: “We have a wedding ring! One of the counters Peter Creamer has found a wedding ring in a box from Gael Scoil an Choilin in Mullingar.”

The owner of the missing ring is asked to go down to the counting center to collect it.

TANAISTE TO KEEP THE SEAT

TANAISTE Micheal Martin looks set to retain his seat in Cork South Central.

The Fianna Fail leader has 24 per cent of first-time votes in the constituency, with about a third of ballot boxes counted so far.

One of his running mates, county councilor Seamus McGrath, also looks set to win a seat in the five-seat, according to very early figures.

He sits on just over 16 percent of the numbers, but their replacement mate Margaret Kenneally is on less than one percent.

HOTLY DISPUTED ELECTION QUESTION

In the Dublin Central constituency, Sinn Fein’s Mary Lou McDonald, Fine Gael’s Paschal Donohoe, Gary Gannon of the Social Democrats and independent Gerry Hutch all look to be doing well.

There are four seats available in the hotly contested constituency.

McDonald comes in at 20 percent, Donohoe at 17 percent and Gannon at 13 percent.

Hutch has received nine percent of the vote so far.

Labour’s Marie Sherlock is on seven per cent, Fianna Fail’s Mary Fitzpatrick on seven per cent, the Green Party’s Neasa Hourigan on six per cent and Independent Malachy Steenson on five per cent.

Sinn Fein’s Janice Boylan, Independent Clare Daly and People Before Profits’ Eoghan O Ceannabhain all have four per cent.

DONNELLY IN WIRE

FIANNA Fail could face a major embarrassment in the Wicklow constituency with sitting TD Stephen Donnelly facing losing his seat.

The Health Minister, who has been TD for the constituency since 2011, comes in on just 6.4 per cent of the total vote.

Taoiseach Simon Harris already looks set to top the polls in the same constituency.

Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore and Sinn Fein TD John Brady, who topped the poll in 2020, look set to take the second and third places.

The race for the fourth seat is close – with the constituency reduced from five seats – and Donnelly looks set to struggle against independents Shay Cullen and Gerry O’Neil.