Grainne Seoige trails in Galway West election as first-time candidate for Fianna Fáil

Grainne Seoige, a TV host and first-time candidate for Fianna Fáil, is struggling in the Galway West election. Early tallies show her with only 5% of first preference votes, far behind Sinn Féin's Mairead Farrell, who leads with 14%. Seoige's support is notably stronger among male voters, with 9% backing her compared to just 4% of women. Her running mate, John Connolly, has more balanced support, attracting 7% from both genders. The election is significant as Seoige aims to succeed veteran TD Eamon Ó Cuív, who is retiring after decades in office. Current polling indicates she is trailing behind multiple candidates in the five-seat constituency.