Cork Awarded 1st Prize in Election Competition: Tipp & Kerry Runners-Up

24th Jan 2025

A primary school teacher from Ballinlough who likes sea swimming has been awarded first prize in Ireland’s general election competition.

After nearly two months of deliberations following public voting the jury finally awarded Michéal Martin the top prize of €243,000 and an opportunity to run or wreck the country for five years. He also got to meet the President Micheal D. Higgins who presented the winner with his prizes. 

Runners up places went to millionaire landlords Michael Lowry and Mattie McGrath from Tipperary and sibling millionaire landlords Michael and Danny Healy-Rae from Kerry who will share a pot of over one million euro in annual salaries and control of the country’s finances with the Ballinlough man.