The BIZARRE defence Micheál Martin used to face the music following another disastrous polling day - as Mary Lou McDonald takes VERY different approach to potential upheaval...

Published: 01:09, 24 May 2026 | Updated: 01:12, 24 May 2026 Taoiseach Micheál Martin last night told the Irish Mail on Sunday he is happy that so many of his Fianna Fáil Cabinet colleagues want to succeed him, as he faced the music following two historically poor showings from his party’s candidates in the Dublin Central and Galway West by-elections.  The FF leader’s response came as the main opposition leader, Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald, was forced to insist that there was no question over her leadership following an equally dismal showing for her party in the two single-seat elections. Mr Martin’s Fianna Fáil is on course to suffer their worst-ever results in the Dublin Central and Galway West constituencies, both former strongholds. And Ms McDonald’s poor electoral record as Sinn Féin leader continued – even in her own constituency – with the Social Democrats’ Daniel Ennis firmly set to take former finance minister Paschal Donohoe’s seat in Dublin Central. Appearing at the count centre of Galway yesterday afternoon, Mr Martin tried to put a brave face on the party’s poor performance as several of his party’s senior ministers publicly position themselves in the succession race. Mr Martin’s Fianna Fáil is on course to suffer their worst-ever results in the Dublin Central and Galway West constituencies, both former strongholds The Taoiseach – who has led Fianna Fáil for 15 years – claimed it was ‘very positive’ that members of the Cabinet are now openly saying they want to succeed him. He told the MoS: ‘I think that’s positive, because when I took over the leadership, back in 2011, there weren’t too many at the time, or afterwards [who publicly said they wanted to take over as leader]. ‘I take real encouragement from that, because my objective has always been to build strong capacity… at all levels of the party.’ For her part, arriving at Galway Lawn Tennis Club yesterday, Ms McDonald denied that her leadership is under pressure. ‘There is no question on the leadership. I am the leader of Sinn Féin. I lead us on days when we’re on a winning streak. I lead us on the days when we’re not lifting the cup,’ Ms McDonald said. The political foes were responding after Mr Ennis increased the number of Social Democrats TDs in Dáil Eireann to 11. ‘There is no question on the leadership. I am the leader of Sinn Féin. I lead us on days when we’re on a winning streak. I lead us on the days when we’re not lifting the cup,’ Ms McDonald said Former Fine Gael minister and TD, Senator Seán Kyne, and Independent Ireland candidate Noel Thomas were virtually neck and neck in Galway West. Sources at the Galway count centre said Mr Kyne had a good opportunity to overtake former Fianna Fáil councillor Thomas with transfers, which would gift a major boost for Tánaiste and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris, as government parties rarely win by-elections. While the lead Government party did not have a good day at the polls, it was within Sinn Féin that the most dissent emerged. Factions on the left of the party told the MoS that it was being ‘pulled to the right’ and pointed the finger of blame at the party’s justice spokesman Matt Carthy. Deputy Carthy has taken a noticeably firmer approach on migration in recent months and also pushed the party to vote against abortion legislation in the Dáil last week, which it ultimately abstained from. A Sinn Féin source said: ‘He [Carty] is trying to pull the party to the right. Lots of TDs are really annoyed about his influence and want Mary Lou to push back.’ Several Sinn Féin TDs and Senators yesterday warned that, while there is no immediate threat to Ms McDonald’s leadership, she needs to set a ‘clear direction’ for the party in the wake of the by-election failures. Party TDs who spoke to the MoS said the party’s front bench will ‘sit down and go through all of the data over the next week’ when all the votes are counted. Some said Ms McDonald ‘would lead them for now’. But after losing one fifth of their vote in the 2024 general election, the traditional iron discipline in Sinn Féin is cracking after the disappointing performance in Ms McDonald’s own Dublin Central constituency. Fears that convicted criminal Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch would be elected to Dáil Éireann proved false this time out – but he received 11.3% of the vote and a further 9% claimed by far-right candidate Malachy Steenson means that there is a real possibility of a hardline anti-migrant figure being elected at the next general election. Fears that convicted criminal Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch would be elected to Dáil Éireann proved false this time out Although no FF party figures openly voiced dissent intense political focus was fixed on the embattled Taoiseach after two abysmal showings in constituencies where Fianna Fáil has a storied past. A significant number of ministers, TDs and senators appeared to speak in unison when agreeing that Mr Martin’s tenure as Fianna Fáil leader should come to an end next December at the end of the EU Presidency.  Support for this timeline was noticeably stronger than before yesterday’s by-election results became apparent. He acknowledged Fianna Fáil has a ‘weakness’ in Dublin Central, where John Stephens recorded the party’s worst ever by-election performance, but insisted Cillian Keane did well in coming fourth in first preferences in Galway West. However, ministers last night said the Taoiseach’s diminished authority had directly resulted in the selection of candidates who had little chance of victory. Parliamentary party members also said Mr Martin’s time as leader, already truncated by the debacle over former GAA coach Jim Gavin’s presidential candidacy, was further shortened by the poor by-election results. The Social Democrats’ Daniel Ennis looks firmly set to take former finance minister Paschal Donohoe’s seat in Dublin Central One Fianna Fáil minister told the MoS: ‘There were far better, higher profile candidates available to Fianna Fáil in these two constituencies but because Micheál is so weak, senior politicians felt confident defying party HQ and sitting out this election when the welfare of the party should have been paramount. ‘It seems that a local organisation in Galway, which you might remember was vocally critical of Micheál in the wake of the Jim Gavin affair, were able to manufacture the selection of a young candidate who would not threaten the long-term political prospects of more senior politicians.’ In a sign of growing divisions with Fianna Fáil, some senior party figures openly criticised party colleagues. In advance of by-elections, political parties usually turn to the most senior politicians with significant personal votes in constituencies. However, Fianna Fáil’s sitting senator in Dublin Central, Mary Fitzpatrick, who stood for the party in recent general elections, refused to contest the by-election selection convention.  Mr Stephens was eliminated on the second count in Dublin Central last night, with just 1,120 votes. The councillor took only 1,049 on the first count. In Galway West, 25-year-old Councillor Cillian Keane was selected by the local organisation while Senator Ollie Crowe sat it out. Fianna Fáil Minister of State Niall Collins strongly criticised party colleagues for not stepping ‘up to the plate’. The Limerick County TD told the MoS: ‘Senior and experienced members of the parliamentary party failed to step up to the plate for the party in these by-elections, and Fianna Fáil’s vote in Dublin Central and Galway West suffered for it.’ It was also a terrible day for Mary Lou McDonald and Sinn Féin, who were outpolled by the Social Democrats in both constituencies. Speaking yesterday she told reporters: ‘I feel under no pressure whatsoever. Pressure is for tyres.’ ‘If you’re going to lead the opposition in the project of constructing a Government beyond Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael... an historic project. ‘If you’re going to lead a party, a national movement and a national organisation like Sinn Féin, you don’t give way to pressure. ‘You have to have the fortitude, the stamina, the resilience and the concentration span to see this through. Just for the avoidance of doubt, I have all of those qualities in abundance and I will carry on with my work.’ In Dublin Central, candidate Janice Boylan, who won a place on the election ticket by overcoming Ms McDonald’s chosen pick, children’s health campaigner Gillian Sherratt – itself an unheard of act of defiance in the centralised party – was responsible for a significant drop in Sinn Féin vote. Simon Harris, who will rotate into the position of Taoiseach in December 2027, was significantly boosted by Senator Kyne’s performance in Galway West. Simon Harris, who will rotate into the position of Taoiseach in December 2027, was significantly boosted by Senator Kyne’s (above) performance in Galway West Speaking at the count centre at the RDS, Mr Harris said: ‘Based on the tallies across the constituencies, more people have given their first-preference vote to Fine Gael than any other political party.. He added: ‘We look forward to the outcome of the counts in the hours ahead.’ Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.