Posted online: Jun 15th, 2009

By Chris Ashmore

Donegal politics has just seen its greatest ever shake-up after the local elections – and already attention is now switching to the race for the next Dail.
For years, Donegal’s two consituencies were among the two most predictable in the country.
But now a number of seats in the two three-seaters are really up for grabs, and the groundwork for next time out has begun.
In Donegal North-East, Fine Gael’s Deputy Joe McHugh will be hotly fancied to hold his seat but Fianna Fail’s Niall Blaney faces a massive battle with Letterkenny council Ciaran Brogan’s local election showing suggesting that he could be poised to become a future TD.
Sinn Fein’s Padraig MacLochlainn will also be hoping to make a breakthrough in Donegal North East.
In Donegal South-West, a by-election is looming following Pat “the Cope” Gallagher’s election as an MEP. Speaking to the Post, he felt it would not be held until after the Lisbon Treaty referendum.
Frank McBrearty junior won a seat for Labour in the Stranorlar Electoral Area and has declared an interest in running in Donegal South-West. But so too has Fianna Fail’s Patrick McGowan and independent Seamus O’Domhnaill. Fine Gael’s Barry O’Neill is another possible candidate while Sen. Pearse Doherty of Sinn Fein will also be eyeing the seat.
The coming months are likely to see plenty of behind the scenes activities in Donegal political circles.