Tea and scones on offer as Sean's Tipperary home is transformed into a polling station for 2020 general election

A hospitable host, a cup of tea and freshly baked scones awaited voters in a unique polling station in Tipperary today.

Sean O'Donovan's home in Coolmoyne, situated between Fethard and Cashel,is the only private house in Tipperary to be used as a polling station in todays general election.

Voters throughout Tipperary ,who had to wait until Wednesday evening to be sure if they would be given the opportunity to vote in the general election, came out in force to register their vote despite the inclement weather.

Minister for Local Government Eoghan Murphy signed a “special difficulty” order allowing the election in Tipperary to go ahead..The order was signed late on Wednesday night after extensive legal consultations.

The vote had been postponed after the sudden death of Independent candidate Marese Skehan.

Polling station host Sean O'Donovan welcomed the first voter to his home shortly after 7am and like voters who called throughout the day were offered a cup of tea,scones and tart as voters availed of the opportunity to have a chat about the election.

“It is a very social day, we put on a cup of tea and people enjoy meeting one another for a chat about the election” said Sean.

242 people are registered to vote at Sean's home and at teatme the station was on course to reach up to a 70% turnout.

“It was very quiet during the rugby,the half hour after the rugby was the busiest time of the day” said Sean.

Sean took on the responsibility of hosting the vote in Coolmoyne in 2007.

“We wanted to ensuure th at the station would stay open in the community.It used to be held in Coolmoyne national school next door to me but the school closed in 1967.The school became a private residence and the vote continued to be held there but in 2007 it could not be held there and rather than leave it go out of the community I decided to take it on” said Sean.

“We had lost a creamery, a post office and three shops in the area so it was important to ensure the polling station stayed in the community” said Sean.

A neighbour Monica Ahearne is the presiding officer in the station,Sean's daughter Aisling is the clerk and another daughter Theresa supports Sean in hosting the vote.

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