Sinn Fein: Polled well

Sinn Fein Takes Irish Parliamentary Seat

Former bank official Caoimhghin O Caolain won his seat with a victory of almost landslide proportions in Friday's poll. Unlike previous successful Sinn Fein election candidates, he plans to take up his seat in Dublin's Leinster House assembly and use his position to win concessions from the British and Irish governments in Sinn Fein's campaign to end British rule of Northern Ireland.

Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams called on the British and Irish governments to respect the mandate given to his party over three elections on both sides of the Ulster border this year.

He said Mr O Caolain's election victory meant that his party could no longer be excluded from talks on the future of Northern Ireland.

O Caolain: will take seat

"Our vote is on the up," Adams told Irish radio. "It's a signal because we now have a T.D. (member of parliament) in Leinster House who cannot be excluded. We have made the point time and again there is a need for inclusiveness and equality."

Call for new ceasfire

Hung parliament predicted

Sinn Fein also polled well in the 13 other constituencies contested, and came close to winning two other places in the Dail, the Irish parliament. The last time Sinn Fein won a position in parliament was in 1957 when Ruairi O Bradaigh, who later became his party's president was successful in his home base of Longford-Roscommon. Then, however, in line with party policy, Mr O Bradaigh did not take his seat.