The IFA Chairman of Connacht was finally decided tonight after votes were counted in Roscommon, after several months of deadlock.
Eddie Davitt from Co. Sligo and Padraic Joyce from Co. Mayo were the two candidates vying for the position, with Joyce coming out on top.
Connacht had been in a stalemate for several months over the position of Regional Chairman as one candidate was nominated from each county for the top job meaning no county could endorse another to go forward for the position.
Tom Turley, the incumbent, from Galway, John O’Beirne from Roscommon and Des McHugh from Co. Leitrim had all been nominated by their own County Executives – putting the region in deadlock.
In order to appoint a representative for the region, each County Chairman voted in May to endorse one of the other candidates from outside their County Executive by voting 1, 2, 3 in a secret ballot. Davitt and Joyce were the two candidates that emerged from the voting to contest the position.
In Roscommon tonight, where counting took place, Davitt took the first count of Sligo votes, his home county, by 62 to 10. The Mayo votes were counted next, with local man Joyce taking 166 and Davitt getting 10 votes. That left Joyce with 176 votes and Davitt with 72 votes.
Leitrim votes were then counted and Davitt took 38 while Joyce took 14, leaving Davitt with 110 and Joyce with 190.
Roscommon votes were then counted with Davitt getting 42 and Joyce getting 32 and with one box left to count Davitt was on 152 and Joyce on 222.
The Galway box, with crucially most votes, was then counted and the deal was sealed for Joyce. He took 100 of Galway votes while Davitt took 70, taking the final tally to Joyce: 322 and Davitt: 222.
It’s the last IFA Regional Chairman to be elected after James Murphy was returned unopposed in South Leinster, John Coughlan took the Munster contest and Bert Stewart took the Ulster/North Leinster.