Limerick City and County Council: First Muslim councillor elected

Limerick’s first Muslim councillor has been elected to rapturous celebrations from supporters at the Limerick count centre.

Abul Kalam Azad Talukder was elected around 4am Monday, on the final count (count 14), in the Limerick City West area.

Talukder, a first time election hopeful, thanked Fianna Fáil for “believed in me and trusted in me” as well as “all those who voted for me”.

“I promised them I would bring this seat. I’m delighted.”

“It is a dream come true. It is history. It doesn’t come overnight or with dreams - you have to work at it,” he added.

Talukder said his priority would be to weld together the migrant and Irish community in Limerick.

Talukder was elected without reaching the quota along with Fergus Kilcoyne, Non-Party; Elisa O’Donovan, Social Democrats; Dan McSweeney, Fine Gael.

Green Party candidate Breandan Anra MacGabhann put in a sterling effort but was left just shy of taking a seat.

Earlier, former Limerick mayor Joe Leddin retained his seat in the constituency, after having exceeded the 1,324 quota, on Count Thirteen.

Seats were also filled by sitting Fianna Fáil mayor James Collins, who topped the poll, as well as sitting Fine Gael Metropolitan mayor Daniel Butler.

In Limerick City North, Sinn Fein returned two seats to Limerick City and County Council, after what had been a disastrous day for the party.

John Costelloe (1,270 votes) retained his seat, and first time election candidate Sharon Benson (1,041) held on to secure the final seat in Limerick City North.

Both were elected without having reached the quota 1,477.

Sinn Fein had run six candidates with four outgoing councillors, including re-elected John Costelloe, Seighin O’Ceallaigh (eliminated), Malachy McCreesh (eliminated), and Seamus Browne (eliminated).

First time election hopeful Conor Sheehan also secured a seat for Labour in the Eighteenth Count.

Earlier, Green Party candidate, Brian Leddin, another first time runner, won the party’s first ever Council seat in Limerick. Independent Frankie Daly topped the poll. Fianna Fail’s Kieran O’Hanlon was elected as was first time candidate Olivia O’Sullivan, Fine Gael.

(First preference votes: candidates elected in bold)

Adare-Rathkeale: 6 seats

Adam Teskey (Fine Gael) - 2,459 (elected count 1)
Stephen Keary (Fine Gael) - 2,082 (elected count 1)
Richard O’Donoghue (Ind) - 1,751 (elected count 2)
Emmett O’Brien (Independent) - 1,566 (elected count 5)
Kevin Sheahan (Fianna Fáil) - 1,246 (elected count 7)
Bridie Collins (Fianna Fáil) - 986 (elected count 7)
Leo Walsh (Fine Gael) - 880
Trina O’Dea (Fianna Fáil) - 762
Theresa Storey (Green Party) - 538
Mark Keogh (Direct Democracy Ireland) - 117
Mike Putt (Direct Democracy Ireland) - 32

Cappamore-Kilmallock: 7 seats

Brigid Teefy (Ind) - 2,420 (elected count 1)
Martin Ryan (Fianna Fáil) - 2,157 (elected count 1)
Eddie Ryan (Fianna Fáil) - 1,822 (elected count 3)
Gerald Mitchell (Fine Gael) - 1,306 (elected count 8)
John Egan (Fine Gael) - 1,216 (elected count 9)
Michael Donegan (Fianna Fáil) - 935 (elected count 9)
PJ Carey (Ind) - 777 (elected count 9)
Greg Conway (Fine Gael) - 1,052
Noreen Stokes (Fine Gael) - 840
Jim Hickey (Sinn Féin) - 803
Trevor McCarthy (Social Dems) - 692
Joseph Meagher (Fianna Fáil) - 627
Shane Hogan (Aontú) - 484
John O’Gorman (Ind) - 106

Limerick City West: 7 seats

James Collins (Fianna Fáil) - 1,375 (elected count 1)
Daniel Butler (Fine Gael) - 1,316 (elected count 2)
Joe Leddin (Labour Party) - 919 (elected count 13)
Fergus Kilcoyne (Ind) - 750 (elected count 14)
Abul Kalam Azad Talukder (Fianna Fáil) - 697 (elected count 14)
Dan McSweeney (Fine Gael) - 638 (elected count 14)
Elisa O’Donovan (Social Dems) - 584 (elected count 14)
Elenora Hogan (Fine Gael) - 681
Breandán Anraoi MacGabhann (Green Party) - 610
Seán Lynch (Fianna Fáil) - 591
Malachy McCreesh (Sinn Féin) - 558
Seónaidh Ní Shíomóin (Solidarity–PBP) - 449
Julian Fitzgibbon (Aontú) - 397
Jim Long (Ind) - 285
Sunnymartins Duruagwu (Ind)- 216
Cathal McCarthy (Ind) - 192
Jamie Morrissey (Ind) - 191
Mark Carey (Ind) - 94
John Loftus (Ind) - 44

Limerick City North: 7 seats

Frankie Daly (Ind) - 1,861 (elected count 1)
Brian Leddin (Green Party) - 1,397 (elected count 4)
Kieran O’Hanlon (Fianna Fáil) - 1,228 (elected count 12)
Olivia O’Sullivan (Fine Gael) - 880 (elected count 16)
Conor Sheehan (Labour Party) - 582 (elected count 18)
Sharon Benson (Sinn Féin) - 570 (elected count 18)
John Costelloe (Sinn Féin) - 751 (elected count 18)
Pat O’Neill (Fianna Fáil) - 644
Eleanor McSherry (Fine Gael) - 457
Dean Quinn (Ind) - 448
Mary Cahillane (Solidarity–PBP) - 371
John Nugent (Sinn Féin) - 342
Brian O’Connor (Fine Gael) - 317
Christy McInerney (Fianna Fáil) - 316
Anne Cronin (Labour Party) - 282
Maeve O’Donnell (Aontú) - 278
Kieran Walsh (Social Dems) - 272
Denis McCarthy (Fine Gael) - 260
Kevin Kiely (Ind) - 252
Ruth Clarke (Ind) - 180
Des Hayes (Ind) - 124

Limerick City East: 7 seats

Seán Hartigan (Green Party) – 1,094 (elected count 6)
Elena Secas (Labour Party) –1,162 (elected count 8)
Catherine Slattery (Fianna Fáil) –1,188 (elected count 10)
Michael Murphy (Fine Gael) –1,157 (elected count 10)
Michael Sheahan (Fine Gael) –811 (elected count 11)
Jerry O’Dea (Fianna Fáil) –803 (elected count 11)
Sarah Kiely (Fine Gael) –789 (elected count 11)
Joe Pond (Fianna Fáil) –837
Michael Ryan (Aontú) –722
Marian Hurley (Fine Gael) – 687
Sarah Jane Hennelly (Social Democrats) –517
Séighin Ó Ceallaigh (Sinn Féin) –515
Paul Keller (Solidarity–People Before Profit) –340
Noel Hannan (Independent) – 273
Derek Mulcahy (Independent) –117
Diarmuid Ryan (Independent) – 26

Newcastle West: 6 seats

Jerome Scanlan (Fine Gael) - 2,512 (elected count 1)
Michael Collins (Fianna Fáil) - 2,193 (elected count 1)
Liam Galvin (Fine Gael) - 2,124 (elected count 1)
John Sheahan (Fine Gael) - 1,503 (elected count 5)
Francis Foley (Fianna Fáil) - 1,160 (elected count 6)
Tom Ruddle (Fine Gael) - 1,201 (elected count 6)
Séamus Browne (Sinn Féin) - 861
Christy Kelly (Ind) - 477
Conor O’Donoghue (Aontú) - 255
John Dalton (Renua Ireland) - 211
Sean O’Mahony (Ind) - 22