Summary

Counting of votes in the local elections is continuing in many areas through the night, with first count results still awaited in a large number of local electoral areas (LEAs).

Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and Independent candidates have filled the vast majority of the seats declared so far, with incumbent Independent Thomas Welby in Galway County Council’s Connemara North electoral area topping the poll and becoming the first person past the post in this year’s elections.

Sinn Féin is expected to make gains on its disastrous 2019 local election result, but party figures were downbeat about the prospects of its candidates sweeping to victory as they did in the 2020 general election. Read Jennifer Bray’s late-night news wrap here.

• Follow the local election count here
• Follow the European count here on Sunday
• In the Limerick Mayoral Election, a final tally has John Moran (Independent) in front with 16,855 first preference votes (24 per cent)

Best Reads

• News report: Jennifer Bray reports that counting is continuing into the small hours of the morning
• Analysis: Pat Leahy outlines five things that the results reveal so far
• Live Coverage of the election counts: The Irish Times will provide comprehensive live coverage of all three counts over the weekend, with up-to-the- minute news, analysis and detailed results from each council and constituency. You can select from the drop-down menu below for results in your area.

What are the Big Trends?

It is now 2.45am and of the 949 local election seats, only 170 have been filled. There are some councils where counting has yet to begin. Some councils will continue until dawn to get it finished with.

What are the trends that have determined this election. Well, firstly it’s early days and you will see that some parties might put in a late surge and win a lot of the final seats. It happened to the Social Democrats, for example, in 2019.

As of now, the breakdown of the parties is FG (56); FF (43); Lab (8); SF (6) SD (4); GP (2) and Independents and Others (39).

It has not been a great day for Sinn Féin. It will make gains. It had to after a terrible local election campaign in 2019. But the surge has not happened. The party expected to double its tally of 80 and then some but it looks like it will struggle to do get near 160. More disappointingly it has not made inroads into areas of the State where it was not strong. The party will have to refocus ahead of the general election.

The three Government parties will be happy with the elections, especially Fine Gael which has put in a strong showing and may overtake Fianna Fáil as the largest party in local government. Fianna Fáil will lose seats but not too many. The Greens have seen a big dip in percentage support. It has held up well in Dublin though, but its rural seats are in jeopardy, such as its seats on Galway City Council, Westmeath County Council, Co Clare and Co Kildare. We won’t know until tomorrow for sure, but both its MEPs will find it hard to retain their seats.

Independent candidates have had a great day. The Independent Alliance will end up with a dozen seats and maybe a score. Michael Lowry’s pool of candidates polled very strongly in Tipperary while three Mica candidates have been elected in Donegal. Of the smaller parties, there are mixed messages. The Social Democrats may make a few gains (they have already done so in Kildare) but so too might Labour. As for Aontú it could win a handful of seats.

And what of the far-right and pointedly anti-migrant candidates. Both Leo Varadkar and Michael McGrath made specific criticisms of this cohort, arguing that they had not made a significant breakthrough. That is true. Migration was a big issue but voters stayed away from candidates with extreme messages, on the whole. That said, there are a few candidates who might win election, including Gavan Pepper and Malachy Steenson in Dublin.

Linda O’Reilly reports that Lester Gordon from the Shamrock Independents is in the mix for a final seat in the Ballyjamesduff LEA - tallies have him in seventh position with 990 votes. The expected quota is 1,652. Transfers might prove difficult for him though.

Equally Barry Roche says that Ross Lahive, a right-wing candidate, could be in contention for the last seat in the six-seat Cork North West ward of Cork City Council.

It will be a tight contest between last placed Sinn Féin candidate, Cllr Mick Nugent, and Cllr Brian McCarthy of People Before Profit, and Lahive. The two left-wing candidates seem better placed to benefit from transfers but the outcome could be tight.

Anyway thanks to Conor Pope for doing the earlier stint and all the editing team in The Irish Times which kept this Live Report honest throughout the day and night. This is Harry McGee signing off.

Well as Scarlett O’Hara said: Tomorrow is another Day.

State of Play in Tipperary

Neil Michael writes on the distribution of the first 20 seats

Six seats went to independents, and four went to TD Michael Lowry’s so-called “Lowry Team”.

Fianna Fáil got four, Fine Gael got three, and Sinn Fein. Labour and the Workers and Unemployed Action Party got just one each.

The results so far show not just a strong showing for independents but also for Deputy Lowry’s power-base on Tipperary County Council is firmly on course for a second local election win.

Four of the five candidates on the team were elected on the first count, including the deputy’s son Micheal in Thurles and a candidate who only announced in March she was going to stand.

Shane Lee was re-elected on the first count in Roscrea-Templemore and Michael O’Meara was re-elected in Nenagh, while Micheal Lowry was elected in the first count in Thurles.

Latecomer Pamela Quirke O’Meara, who only announced her intention to stand for election at the end of March, was also elected.

Deputy Lowry said: “It’s a magnificent day for Lowry Team and I am immensely pleased and proud of my son.

“Four of our five candidates have been elected on the first count and a fifth will be elected on the third count.

One of the biggest upsets was the collapse of the Fine Gael vote in Cashel-Tipperary.

First time candidate Matthew Fogarty was standing in place of party member, Michael Fitzgerald.

One of the longest ever serving county councillors, he topped the poll last time round, as the biggest single vote getter in the county in 2019, with more than 3,000 votes but, after 45 years, he decided not to stand again and bow out.

Unfortunately for Fine Gael, Mr Fogarty polled just 340 votes.

The seat instead went to another first time candidate, the independent councillor John O’Heney.

He topped the poll on the first count.

Counting resumes at 10am in three count centre in Thurles

Aontú councillor tops poll in Bailieborough

Linda O’Reilly reports

Sarah O’Reilly is a prominent councillor in Cavan and has put in a poll-topping performance for the Aontú party.

She got 1,770 votes in the Bailieborough-Cootehill LEA, just about the quota of 1,716.

Elsewhere in the Cavan-Belturbet LEA, Áine Smith of Fianna Fáil and Independent Brendan Fay have both been elected on the first count.

The count has been suspended until the morning.

O’Reilly becomes the first of Aontú's 66 candidates to be elected to a local authority and a handful of others are in the hunt for seats.

20 candidates elected in 20 minutes in Tipperary

The Tipperary hurling team could learn a few lessons from the fast finishers among the staff handling the council elections who took a while to get going but elected 20 councillors in 20 minutes, according to our reporter there, Neil Michael.

Three were elected on the first count in Clonmel: Michael Murphy (FG); Pat English of the Workers and Unemployed Action group and Siobhán Ambrose (FF).

Independents John O’Heney and Liam Browne and Declan Burgess of Fine Gael were elected on the first count in Cashel.

In Thurles, independents Micheál Lowry and Jim Ryan were elected alongside Sean Ryan (FF) in the first count.

In Nenagh, the successful candidates in the first count were Joe Hannigan (Ind) and Michael O’Meara (Ind).

In Newport, the winners in the first count were Fiona Bonfield of Labour, Phyll Bugler of Fine Gael and Pamela Quirke-O’Meara (Ind).

As Neil pointed out in his reporting earlier, many of those independents who were elected in the first count are associated with the Tipperary TD, Michael Lowry.

You can see Michael Lowry in the below video raising his hands and gesturing “five” to show that five of his councillors are now elected.

Gogarty reelected in South Dublin Council elections

Outgoing independent councillor, and former TD, Paul Gogarty has been elected on the first count for Lucan with an impressive 2,671 votes. Gogarty, of course, came to fame with the celebrated put-down of Labour’s Emmet Stagg in the Dáil. “F*** you Deputy Stagg”.

Latest results from Galway County and Galway City

John Fallon writes

In the Galway County Council elections, in the Athenry-Oranmore LEA, 25-year old councillor Albert Dolan (FF) has increased his vote and sailed home. Another candidate who has been elected in the first count is Independent first-timer Tomás Grealish, younger brother of TD Noel Grealish.

In the city, former mayor Mike Cubbard (Ind) is the first to be elected to Galway City Council. He has topped the poll for the third time in Galway City Central. Current mayor Eddie Hoare (FG) has also been elected on the first count in that ward.

Deas a fheiceáil go bhfuil an Comhairle ag baint úsáid mhaith as an nGaeilge.

Cork results coming in thick and fast - two elected in Cobh

Sheila O’Callaghan (Fianna Fail) and Anthony Barry (Fine Gael) have been elected in the first count in the Cobh Electoral Area.

Two elected on first count in Macroom after result delayed by two missing votes

Concubhar Ó Liatháin writes:

The announcement of the First Count results for the Macroom Municipal District elections was delayed for almost half an hour as election officials searched for two missing votes.

But that discrepancy, once it was sorted out, didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the supporters of the two candidates elected on the First Count when the result was finally announce at 11.30pm.

Outgoing councillors, Gobnait Moynihan of Fianna Fáil and Michael Creed of Fine Gael, were returned with first preference totals of 2,794 and 2,593 respectively, both exceeding the quota of 2,542 votes.

“It wasn’t a tough campaign at all,” said Michael Creed. “I’m absolutely thrilled to get over the line myself but I’m more than thrilled that the other two Fine Gael councillors will also get elected and it’s a pleasure and a privilege to serve alongside them.”

Astute vote management enabled Fine Gael to garner enough votes to get Michael Creed over the line and pave the way for his two running mates, Eileen Lynch and Ted Lucey, to follow him back to the Council.

“We divided the area into three patches, everyone kept to the divide and our aim from the start was to get three Fine Gael councillors elected and we went out with that intention so I’m absolutely delighted that it worked.”

The intention of the count officials is to distribute the surpluses of both the elected councillors.

Veteran independent councillor Declan Bree relected in Sligo

Marese McDonagh writes

One of the country’s longest serving county councillors Declan Bree has topped the poll with 1,537 first preferences in the Sligo-Strandhill electoral area and has been elected on the first count . Fianna Fail’s Tom Mac Sharry has also been elected on the first count , having secured 1,374 first preferences in this six seater LEA .

The quota was 1188.

Fine Gael first time candidate Fergal Nealon , a son of former Minister of State and Sligo Leitrim TD Ted Nealon secured 1,158 votes and is certain to be elected.

Nessa Cosgrove of Labour is also chasing a seat here having secured 841 first preferences.

Sitting councillors Arthur Gibbons (SF) and Gino O’Boyle (PBP) are expected to retain their seats. Bree’s surplus is now being distributed .

Final seats in both the Ballymote-Tubbercurry and Sligo-Drumcliff areas will go to the wire. Sitting Fianna Fáil councillor and former Sligo GAA player Paul Taylor is expected to top the poll in Ballymote Tubbercurry where two outgoing Fine Gael councillors, Gerard Mullaney and Dara Mulvey will also be re-elected. Independent councillors Michael Clarke and Joe Queenan are also expected to be returned but the last seat is up for grabs.

Fine Gael’s Thomas Healy will top the poll in five seat Sligo Drumcliff LEA where outgoing councillors Thomas Healy (SF) and Marie Casserly (Ind) are also expected to be re-elected. Edel McSharry (FF) seems likely to join her cousin Tom on the county council with party colleague Donal Gilroy and another sitting councillor Tom Fox (FG) contenders for the final seat.

Six elected on first count from three Local Electoral Areas to Cork City Council.

Eoin English and Emer Walsh write

Fianna Fáil Cllr Tony Fitzgerald was first to be re-elected, retaining his seat in the city’s six seat north west local electoral area (LEA), topping the poll on the first count with 1,930 votes, 177 votes above the quota.

Fine Gael Cllr Damian Boylan has also retained his seat in the same ward, with 1,872 votes.

Independent Cllr Ken O’Flynn has topped the poll in the Cork North East local electoral area (LEA) with a massive 3,134 votes - the highest vote in the city so far and more than 1,150 clear of the quota.

Labour Cllr John Maher has also been elected on the first count with 2,005 votes - 21 votes above the quota.

Fine Gael Cllr Shane O’Callaghan has also retained his seat in the south central LEA, with 1,870 votes, 342 votes above the quota.

Surrounded by family, friends and supporters, including his youngest grandchild, Eoin White, an emotional Mr Fitzgerald, whose 91-year-old mother had been in the count centre earlier, said he was humbled and honoured to be re-elected.

Fighting back tears immediately after the result was declared, he said: “I am thinking about my mother, 91 years of age, at home, who just couldn’t last the pace.

“I’m thinking of my father, this is the first election he hasn’t been at, he passed away during covid two years ago.

“Without the two of them, I wouldn’t be here.

“This was a very difficult and challenging election with a lot of candidates pushed into my own parish to try and bring me down, but it didn’t happen.

“The people in the north west have responded to the work I have done over the 20-years.”

Mr Boylan, who was first elected in 2019, said: “I am delighted, exhilarated and thrilled by the fact people would put their faith in me again.

“Five years ago, I asked people to vote for me for my first term on the City Council. I hoped at the time that I would justify their votes and I have just proved that. Getting across the line on the first count is a huge, huge boost.”

Asked what his key issues will be after retaining his seat for the LEA, Mr Boylan said: “The key issue without doubt will be housing, but also the water issue.

“We need to go to central government and get the necessary funding to sort these issues.

“That is our number one priority for the people.”

Romanian-born candidate wins seat for Fine Gael in Kildare

Ronan McGreevy writes

A Romanian woman who only became a candidate four weeks ago has been elected to Kildare County Council.

Lumi Panaite Fahey has been living in Ireland for 20 years and was elected on the third count for Fine Gael in the Celbridge LEA.

She entered politics as a result of her experience with her son who has additional needs. She is likely to win the seat at the expense of Sinn Féin.

Green Party’s Michael Pidgeon tops the poll in South West Inner City

Jack White writes

Against an anticipated slump in the capital, some Green Party candidates have been bucking the trend. After Hazel Chu got elected on the first count in Pembroke, Micheal Pidgeon went one better by topping the poll in the South Inner City. He won 1,594 votes, well ahead of the quota of 1,385.

Darragh Moriarity (Labour), Jen Commins (Social Democrats), and Ali Ammar are all poised to take seats in subsequent counts. Sinn Féin’s strategy of running three candidates may go against it, even though collectively they have well over 1,000 votes.

Three elected on first Count in Mallow LEA

Fine Gael and Labour shared the spoils when three outgoing councillors were elected in the first count in Mallow.

Tony O’Shea of Fine Gael, with 2,615 votes, topped the poll with party colleague Liam Madden taking second lace. Eoghan Kenny of Labour also took a seat on the first count. All were above the quota of 1,978.

Outgoing Fianna Fáil councillors Gearóid urphy and Pat Hayes look favourites to take the remaining two seats, although Sinn Féin’s Melissa O’Brien could edge the last seat, but may not have enough transfers available to close a gap of about 200 votes.

Seamus McGrath gets elected to Cork Council with 5,191 votes, the highest in the State

Concubhar Ó Liatháin writes

After what seemed the longest wait, the re-election of Seamus McGrath, brother of Finance Minister Michael, with the highest first preference vote in the country, 5,191 votes, was greeted with a tired round of applause.

The Fianna Fáil candidate in the Carrigaline Municipal District was joined in the winner’s enclosure by fellow councillor, Ben Dalton O’Sullivan whose no poster campaign netted him 2,315 first preferences. The quota for Carrigaline was 2,057.

Both were delighted to retain their seats on Cork County Council.

Mr. McGrath, who was leader of the Fianna Fáil contingent on the outgoing council, made no mention of his 3,000 vote surplus as he thanked the voters of Carrigaline for returning him to the Council chamber.

“It’s been a long day,” he said. “I’m genuinely humbled by the support I’ve received and I obviously want to thank whoever supported me for putting their trust in me once again.”

For Ben Dalton O’Sullivan, it was no less of a triumph. “I ran a no-poster campaign and I’m really delighted with the result - I didn’t expect it but I’m really delighted to be returning to Cork County Council to work for the people of Carrigaline once again.”

The next operation will be the distribution of the surplus of Seamus McGrath.

Disputed votes delays first count in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown until morning

Marie O’Halloran writes

Disputed votes in the Blackrock electoral area of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Council are being considered before the first count is declared.

Election agents and council officials went through a pile of disputed or rejected votes.

One blank ballot paper from a different local authority was found in a Blackrock box.

The blank ballot was for the Firhouse-Bohernabreena electoral area of South Dublin. County Council.

Many of the rejected ballot papers were blank. A number had scribbles on them while others started their voting at fifth or sixth preference with no first preference declared.

On one paper a voter marked a fourth preference for two candidates so the ballot was declared to be non-transferable after the third preference.

One voter declared a first, third and fourth preference so the ballot became non-transferable after the first preference.

The distinction between a “1″ and a “7″ vote was an issue with a number of papers.

One voter started their preferences in the 20s. This possibly meant the voter had filled in the European election paper first and rather than starting with a first preference in their local election vote, continued as if still following their European choices.

There will be no count announced in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown until the morning. Counting has been suspended for the night.

First count in Cork City North West

Emer Walsh writes

The first two seats have gone to outgoing councillors, Damian Boylan of Fine Gael and Tony Fitzgerald of Fianna Fáil, who were both elected on the first count.

Third councillor elected in Leitrim

Sorcha Crowley writes

The first count of Manorhamilton LEA has been concluded with Independent James Gilmartin having been elected. He has filled the third seat of 18 on the council.

Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael take the first two seats in Monaghan

Seanín Graham writes

Fianna Fáil’s Seamus Coyle and Fine Gael’s Richard Truell have been re-elected at the first count for the Ballybay Clones LEA in Co Monaghan.

Coyle topped the poll with 1,665 votes and Truell came in second at 1,579 votes.

The quota is 1,411.

Coyle, a farmer from just outside Ballybay, has sat on the local authority for 20 years. Truell is a lab assistant in Cavan General Hospital and was co-opted onto the seat in late 2018.

They are the first two seats filled out of 18 in Monaghan.

No breakthrough for the Far Right says Michael McGrath

Finance Minister Michael McGrath said that despite immigration being raised by voters during election campaigning, there was “no massive breakthrough for the far right” based on tallies on Saturday evening.

“That can only be a good thing,” the Fianna Fail TD said at Cork City Hall.

“While migration did come up on a lot of doors – and many people do have genuine concerns, legitimate concerns which we are seeking to address – the far right do not represent the Irish people. I think that is clear from the tallies that we have seen so far.

“I’m not surprised by that because the Irish people are very decent and very open minded, and recognise the value of diversity.

“They do want to have an immigration system that is fair, but is also rules-based, and they want to see those rules implemented and enforced consistently and fairly. That’s a message I got at the doors quite a lot.

“There’s no breakthrough here, there’s no tide of support for the far right in these elections from what I can see so far, and that pleases me, I have to say.”

Tuam a happy hunting ground for Fine Gael

John Fallon writes

Fine Gael has landed a massive double success in the Tuam electoral area in north Co Galway with two of its outgoing councillors elected on the first count with each having a massive surplus which looks set to bring in a third party candidate in the seven-seater.

Andrew Reddington, who got the last seat with ten votes to spare in 2019, polled 2,784 and Peter Roche got 2,553 first preferences — easily meeting the quota of 1,920.

Their huge vote could see the party’s third candidate, Galway Bay FM sports editor Ollie Turner, also get elected. The Milltown native, who lives in Dunmore, polled an impressive 1,210 for a first-time candidate and will be hopeful the big surplus from his party colleagues will get him a seat.

Cllr Reddington, who is based in Headford, said that he had worked hard since 2019. “You only get out of jail once, so I knew I needed to work hard. I had a great team, up to 80 out there canvassing.

“We sold ourselves at the door, we needed to. There were 17 candidates on the ticket today, you could nearly field a Junior B football team with them, there were so many candidates,” said Cllr. Reddington.

‘Five Fingers to the Far Right,’ declares Leo Varadkar

Former taoiseach Leo Varadkar was on Newstalk a short while ago and gave a fascinating interview.

He observed that five or six Fine Gael candidates from ethnic backgrounds would be elected.

He then went on to say: “For every far-right warrior on Twitter who will get elected there will be at least one Fine Gael migrant background candidate in Dublin elected. So five fingers to the far right.”

Boxer Moran confirms he will be a candidate in the general election

Robbie Kindegran writes:

Former minister of state Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran has confirmed his intention to run in the General Election after a landslide local election win in Athlone today.

The independent politician returned 3,725 first preference votes after today’s tally, over 2,000 votes than his next nearest competitor, four years after losing his seat in the Dáil.

Speaking at the count in Moate today, he confirmed his ambition to return to the Dáil in the Longford Westmeath constituency when the election is called.

“I am 100 per cent running for the Dáil; I’ve always said that and that’s what I’ve been telling people on the doors,” he said.

“We all make mistakes in public life. But in this case, we’re righting a wrong now with a very strong vote.”'

Boxer’ said he was “shocked” by the level of support he received in the local elections.

“Everyone was ringing me, my son, my director of elections, everyone to tell me the good news. I was ecstatic,” he said.

“I was not expecting the votes to come.

I knew I’d get a good vote, but not as high as it was.”

The independent politician credited his success to running an “old school campaign”.

“I knocked on every door and I got talking to everyone; we went to urban areas in the evening time and rural areas later on at night,” he said.

“We get the message across and in fairness, we ran a very good campaign which we have evidence of today, but I couldn’t have done it without my team.”

The first count hasn’t happened in the Athlone Local Electoral area but all eyes are on where Boxer’s transfers will go once he reaches the quota.

First Social Democrat elected in the State may be one of seven on Kildare County Council

Ronan McGreevy writes

The Social Democrats have hailed their performance in Kildare as a success for hard work on the ground.

The party is confident of getting seven of its eight candidates elected in the constituency – increasing their representation from four in the last local elections.

First time candidate Claire O’Rourke, a retired HSE counsellor, was elected on the first count in the Celbridge local electoral area (LEA). She received 1,412 votes exceeding the quota of 1,376 and was elected along with Fianna Fáil poll topper David Trost who received 1,687 votes. He was also a first-time candidate.

O’Rourke came to prominence in her opposition to an entrance on to the M4 from Castletown House in Celbridge.

Another Social Democrats first timer who is expected to be elected is Peter Melrose who is standing in the Maynooth LEA. He gained national attention in 2021 when he highlighted that a new housing development, Mullen Park in Maynooth, was sold to a vulture fund. Following a political outcry, the Government introduced a 10 per cent levy on bulk purchases of 10 or more houses over a 12 month period.

Former Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy said that having six certainties and possibly a seventh is a “very good day for the party”.

“We knew on the doors that there wasn’t any real surge for Sinn Féin. We were quite hopeful that our estimate was going to be correct for us,” she said. “We were concentrating on our own game.”

Ms Murphy said Sinn Féin ran too many candidates in the county, but Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have had a “good day” in Co Kildare.

Sinn Féin though may get the youngest candidate in the country, 18-year-old James Stokes, elected in the Newbridge area. He was sixth in the tally count with six seats in the area.

Three elected on first count in Callan-Thomastown in Kilkenny

from Sarah Anne Murphy

There was a minor distraction for Kilkenny folk otherwise known as the Leinster Hurling Final, which the black and amber easily won.

But the count went on just as the county went on.

Peter ‘Chap’ Cleere of Fianna Fáil topped the poll in Callan-Thomastown with over 2,000 votes. Less than a hundred votes behind him was his Fianna Fáil colleague Joe Sheridan, with Joe Lyons of Fine Gael coming in third. Michael Doyle of Fine Gael and Deirder Cullen of Fianna Fáil should win the fourth and fifth seats with Sinn Féin looking in a slightly better position to win the final seat from Fine Gael.

Micheál Martin says there will be no early election

Here is the Tánaiste on RTÉ saying the big challenge is to produce an effective Budget.

Moynihan tops the poll in Kanturk

Fianna Fáil’s Bernard Moynihan has been elected on the first count in the Kanturk LEA in County Cork after getting slightly over 3,000 votes.

He was the only one of the 10 candidates to exceed the quota. Two Fine Gael candidates John Paul O’Shea and Trish Murphy are close to the quota and O’Shea could be elected on the second count. The final seat looks like a battle between Ian Doyle of Fianna Fáil, who is marginally ahead of Becky Kealy of Aontú. However, she may pick up transfers from lower-placed candidates.

Independent McMahon and Labour’s Kearns and Ahern polling well in Rathfarnham/Templeogue

The tallies indicate that all three will be elected ahead of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael candidates

And as you were in west Clare

Dan Danaher writes

It looks as if the five outgoing councillors will be re-elected for a third consecutive time after the first count results were announced.

Clare County Council chairman, Councillor Joe Cooney FG has topped the poll for the fourth successive time, securing his re-election in the first count.

The former Clare GAA County Board chairman secured 2,819 votes, which put him comfortably ahead of the quota of 1,735.

Councillor Pat Hayes FF got 1,599 votes and he is followed by Councillor Alan O’Callaghan FF on 1,475 and Councillor Tony O’Brien on 1,263.

Councillor Pat Burke FG looks set to regain his seat on 1,049 and he is followed by Mathew Moroney Independent Ireland on 860, Fiona Levie, 613, Dr Martina Cleary SF on 379 and Audrey Flynn on 347.

As you were in south Galway... well almost

John Fallon writes

All five seats now filled in Gort-Kinvara. Outgoing Fianna Fáil councillor Gerry Finnerty has taken the last seat without reaching the quota.

Four are returning councillors: FG’s PJ Murphy; Martina Kinane (FF); and Geraldine Donoghue (Ind), while Paul Killilea takes the seat previously held by his FG colleague Joe Byrne who has retired.

Blain and Lacey elected in Pembroke LEA of Dublin City Council

Jack White writes

Fine Gael’s Emma Blain and Labour’s Dermot Lacey have been elected to Dublin City Council after passing the quota of 1,947 on the second count in the Pembroke LEA. The Fine Gael candidate received 2,046 after transfers with Lacey retaining his seat with 1,973 after transfers.

Blain was a member of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council until May but then transferred councils. She joins colleague James Geoghegan who was elected on the first count, alongside the Green Party’s Hazel Chu.

Ó Muirí and Heney elected on the first count in Clontarf

Olivia Kelly reports

Two long-serving councillors, Naoise Ó Muirí of Fine Gael and Deirdre Heney of Fianna Fáil have been comfortably elected on the first count in Clontarf. Ó Muirí topped the poll. It’s a performance that will put him in a strong position to replace the retiring Fine Gael TD Richard Bruton as the party’s lead candidate in Dublin Bay North in the general election.

Fine Gael set to be the big winner in Dún Laoghaire Rathdown

Marie O’Halloran with a comprehensive state of play report on this key council

Fine Gael expects to hold all 13 seats it holds in Dún Laoghaire with the likelihood of winning two more. Counting is under way in Blackrock, Dún Laoghaire, Killiney-Shankill electoral areas with counting in Dundrum to start shortly.

The Green Party will hold five of its six seats and has a chance of retaining all six.

All boxes were opened at the RDS to separate the European and local election ballots. Ballot papers in bundles of 100 were then weighed before being transported to the count centre at Cherrywood Business Park and then weighed again to ensure no interference with votes during transit.

In this constituency Fine Gael will hold two seats in each of the six electoral areas and will keep three in Stillorgan where the party got some 53 per cent of the total poll based on tallies. In Blackrock, Cllr Marie Baker topped the poll with 26.08 per cent of the tallied vote and almost two quotas. Her surplus of an estimated 1,100 votes is expected to elect either newcomer Dan Carson or outgoing Fine Gael Cllr Maurice Dockrell, with a fighting chance of electing both. Fianna Fáil’s former minister Mary Hanafin is retiring as is Cllr Kate Feeney, with Michael Clark expected to be elected for the party here. Independent accountant and commentator Cormac Lucey is in with a shout in the area.

Independents have in general polled well but further gains are thought unlikely with six Independents in place before the election. Glencullen-Sandyford Independent Cllr Michael Fleming had a massive vote, estimated at 3,666 with Labour’s Lettie McCarthy closest on 1,884.

In Dundrum Independent Cllr Sean McLoughlin topped the poll with over 22 per cent of the vote and is expected to get elected on the first count. He said “I increased my vote since 2019 but increased it in the areas where I put a lot of effort in”. He said he was heavily involved in tackling social isolation and set up a Mens’ Shed in 2017 in the Ballinteer area. The one thing that stood out for me is that during Covid I set up the Ballinteer Isolation Support Group and people didn’t forget that.”

Fianna Fáil is expected to hold five of its seven seats, or six if transfers go well, including Glencullen-Sandyford, Stillorgan and Dundrum. Cllr Justin Moylan, co-opted wit the election of Cormac Devlin to the Dáil is expected to hold the Dún Laoghaire area. His wife Sallyann Moylan, a first time candidate, who started two months ago in Killiney-Shankill has about half a quota, but is unlikely to get across the line.

It has been a rough election in this constituency for Sinn Féin. In 2019 the party lost its three seats, but may win one this time around, the best hope being Shane O’Brien in Dún Laoghaire. Observers say the party ran too many candidates, with two each in Glencullen-Sandyford and Dundrum, splitting the vote. At the time the party decided to run additional candidates it was on poll ratings above 30 per cent.

Labour will be happy with its vote and is in the mix to hold its five seats. Cllr Lettie McCarthy is set to get elected on the first count in Glencullen-Sandyford. Cllr Peter O’Brien is expected to be returned in Dundrum and Thomas Joseph a newcomer is in with a shout in Dún Laoghaire while Carrie Smyth is expected to top the poll in Killiney-Shankill based on the tallies.

The Boxer is back in the Ring: Kevin Moran’s big showing in Westmeath

Robert Kindregan writes that Sinn Féin may also gain two seats at the expense of the Greens

Counting is scheduled to start soon in Moate for the 20 seats available on Westmeath County Council.

The big news of the day so far is the high level of support for former minister of State Kevin ‘Boxer’ in Athlone who has received 3,725 first preference votes after the tally, over 2,000 more than the next nearest candidate.

Struggling to hold on to their seats in Athlone are independent Cllr Paul Hogan and Cllr Louise Heavin of the Green Party, both of whom will be hoping Moran’s transfers go their way.

It’s been a mostly good day for the incumbents in Mullingar with all likely to be re-elected, bar Green Party councillor Hazel Smyth who is three places away from retaining her seat.

Kinnegad is the most hotly contested of the electoral areas with 16 candidates running for five seats after three councillors retired there at the end of the last term.

In Moate, one of two electoral areas in the country not to be contested by a female candidate, all four incumbents look likely to retain their seats.

After tallies, it’s probable that Fianna Fáil will retain its nine seats on Westmeath County Council.

Fine Gael is looking at losing a seat in Kinnegad but may gain one in Mullingar, leaving them with the five seats they currently have.

Both sitting Labour councillors should comfortably return their seat while there is a real threat that the Green Party will lose both their seats.

Sinn Féin is in with a strong chance of returning two seats in Westmeath, where they currently have no sitting councillors, but that depends on how transfers go.

Still a Long Way to go

So far 19 council seats have been decided with Fine Gael taking an early lead with seven seats. Independents have won six, Fianna Fáil has won four, with one each for Sinn Féin, and for the Green Party.

There are a total of 949 seats at play so there is still at least 24 hours of counting to go in some local areas.

If you follow the tallies, it’s going to be a strong day for the Independents. For example, there are reports that all five independents associated with Michael Lowry in Tipperary will get elected, if the tallies hold true.

There are caveats. Transfers will decide many of the last two or three seats in many LEAs and that could see unexpected gains for smaller parties, independents and the bigger parties. Sinn Féin has not made the gains it expected but it will still make gains, as it won only 80 seats in the poor election in 2019. It is doing strongly in some rural constituencies, so it might do a little better than is been predicted at the moment.

Moran the early leader in Limerick mayoral election

David Raleigh writes

Final cross party tally of voting in the historic Directly Elected Mayoral (DEM) election in Limerick, had IND candidate, John Moran, racing ahead at the Limerick Racecourse count centre with 24% of the vote.

Moran, a former General Secretary at the Department of Finance, was the front-runner heading into Monday’s vote, with an eight percentage point lead on nearest rival Helen O’Donnell IND on 16%.

Not one vote yet has been counted in the race to be mayor however a final cross-party tally produced at the racecourse count centre showed Moran heading for the finishing post with 16,855 first preference votes.

Potentially bookies were still open to the possibility of a two or three-horse race, with O’Donnell remaining steady on 11,755 votes, and Dee Ryan FF, gaining on O’Donnell with 10,315 first preferences (14%), and Daniel Butler making up ground on 13% with 8,966 first presence votes.

Maurice Quinlivan (10%) with 7,448 first votes looked like continuing in his role as Sinn Féin’s only TD for Limerick, with the gap too much wide to clutch a late surge.

IND candidate and sitting Limerick City and County Councillor, Frankie Daly will be disappointed at 6% (4,193) first votes but he was ahead of a chasing bunch bringing up the rear on 3% including Sarah Beasley Aontú (2,378), Conor Sheehan LAB (2,227), and Elisa O’Donovan S-DEMs (2,082).

Green Party TD, Brian Leddin who sat on 3% (2,103 votes) will also be ruing that his vision of a liveable city and county with new transport links had failed to garner more traction with the electorate.

A spokesman for John Moran said he would not be commenting until after the votes were counted on Monday.

His nearest rival Helen O’Donnell who was not selected by Fine Gael as a candidate even though she was the party’s former parliamentary chairperson and her late husband, Tom O’Donnell a former TD, Minister and MEP for the party, said: “I would hope to get transfers, but it’s too early to say, but it will definitely go down to transfers.”

“I know John Moran is polling well, but I’m not doing too badly either, and it will go down to the wire, I’m delighted with what my tally people are telling me because I have never done this before,” O’Donnell added.

Speaking at the count centre, Sinn Féin TD Maurice Quinlivan, who during his campaign, told Limerick city and county he would be a “champion” for them, said he was “happy” with his standing in the race.

“It’s too early to call it,” Mr Quinlivan said.

Tom Brabazon elected in Donaghmede

The Dublin results are beginning to come in thick and fast. Olivia Kelly reports that Tom Brabazon was elected on the first count in Donaghmede. The first Fianna Fáil seat on Dublin City Council so far.

Wish you were Here

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin had two choices tonight on where to be. The first was the RDS. The second was Croke Park. Here is where he went.

The Healy-Rae juggernaut continues to roll

Michael Healy-Rae’s son, Jackie Healy Rae junior, gets elected on the first count in the Castelisland LEA.

Catherine Martin has said Green vote holding up in Dún Laoghaire Rathdown

Marie O’Halloran writes:

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown

Minister for Media Catherine Martin has said she is “very pleased” with the Green Party’s vote in Dún Laoghaire Rathdown where she was a councillor before her election to the Dáil.

Arriving at the Cherrywood Business Park where counting in Blackrock and Dún Laoghaire electoral areas is under way, she said “our best ever vote was in 2019 to get six seats, one in each electoral area and we’re looking really competitive to hold all six.”

She had been very involved in the campaign “and I could see on the doors that the feedback was good” and “that’s a really good result for us as a party of Government, that we can hold on to our seats. And that indicates well going forward.”

Ms Martin did not believe their vote was against expectation. She said she had worked very closely with three candidates Cllr Oisín O’Connor (Glencullen-Sandyford), Robert Jones (Dundrum) and Cllr Eva Dowling (Stillorgan) and “I would have predicted last night that we would get our three seats. And I heard it was going well on the other side of the county too.”

She added that “in Dublin City Council we could have four poll toppers, which again is incredible for a party of Government, and that would bode well. There’s a lot to play for outside Dublin”.

The Dublin Rathdown TD said that in the European elections “it’s going to be a very tight battle. I would hope Ciaran (Cuffe, MEP and candidate for Dublin) could do it. What we are seeing is that the transfers are going every which way. I think it will be a long two days, at least.” The party’s Ireland South MEP and candidate Grace O’Sullivan “is a wonderful enigma. I’m very fond of her and she’s very popular. She could take a seat. So I wouldn’t rule either of them out just yet.”

There are 40 seats to be decided and Dún Laoghaire Rathdown was the first county council to have an equal number of male and female councillors. This time just under 50 per cent of candidates are female. Ms Martin said she would support any woman “who puts their name on the ballot paper.”

“I have always been an advocate for women stepping forward in whatever walk of life, be it ... we need women to be seen, and I’m delighted to support any woman who puts their name on the ballot paper, and we need more women in politics.”

Ex Sinn Féin councillor Paddy Holohan poised to be poll-topper in Dublin South

Sarah Burns writes

Counting is finally about to begin for the 40 seats on South Dublin County Council with tallies suggesting that former MMA fighter Paddy Holohan will top the poll again in Tallaght South.

Holohan, previously a Sinn Féin councillor, is an Independent candidate this time round and also looks set to take a seat in Tallaght Central, where the tallies show that Independent Mick Duff and Fianna Fáil’s Teresa Costello have performed strongly.

In Clondalkin, the tallies indicate that Independent Francis Timmons will top the poll with Sinn Féin on around 15.9 per cent.

The party appear to be on top in Palmerstown-Fonthill with 22 per cent while in Lucan only look to be at around 8.4 per cent.

In Rathfarnham-Templeogue, the Labour Party’s Pamela Kearns was leading in the early tallies.

The count is taking place at Weston Airport centre with the separation of the European and local election ballots and tallies carried out at the RDS in Dublin earlier this morning.

Percentage turnout for the South Dublin local election is:

Tallaght South: 31.5 per cent

Tallaght Central: 43 per cent

Palmerstown – Fonthill: tbc

Lucan: 44.9 per cent

Clondalkin: 40.3 per cent

Firhouse-Bohernabreena: 40.6 per cent

Rathfarnham – Templeogue: 47 per cent

A number of local TDs have turned out for the count including Sinn Féin’s Eoin Ó Broin, Mark Ward and Sean Crowe, Fine Gael’s Colm Brophy, Fianna Fáil’s John Lahart and People Before Profit representative Paul Murphy and the Green Party’s Francis Noel Duffy.

First councillor elected in Kildare

Ronan McGreevy writes

Fianna Fáil’s Naoise Ó'Cearúil has been the first councillor elected in Kildare. He was elected in the Maynooth LEA with 1,880 votes, the quota being 1,566.

First two Councillors elected in Mayo

Paul O’Malley writes

The first count is in from Castlebar and Michael Kilcoyne, Independent (2,405) and Ger Deere, Fine Gael (1,958) have been elected, surpassing the quota of 1,878.

Kilcoyne’s surplus of 527 votes will now be distributed.

Al McDonnell, Fianna Fáil (1,631), Blackie Gavin, Fianna Fáil (1,526), Cyril Burke, Fine Gael (1,358) and Donna Sheridan, Fine Gael (996) may follow suit as the counts go on.

The key battle in Castlebar will be for the seventh and final seat. Stephen Kerr, Independent (899), Martin McLoughlin, Fianna Fáil (834) and Harry Barrett, Independent (743) look most likely to battle it out for this seat.

Independent Candidate Declan Meehan looks set to top the poll in Milford Electoral Area

The Independent candidate, Declan Meehan, looks to have tripled his vote since 2019. Tallies indicate he may be poll topper. Mr Meehan, who is gay, has campaigned on progressive issues, including LGBT rights and support for Ukrainian refugees living in the country.

An independent candidate is on course to top the polls in Leitrim.

Sorcha Crowley writes:

Leitrim Independent candidate James Gilmartin is on course to top the poll both in his local electoral area of Manorhamilton with tallies predicting he’s won 1,328 first preference votes, 21 per cent of the total vote.

“I’m humbled, slightly shocked. It t was a good result for me,” he has said. A cousin of sitting Sligo-Leitrim Independent TD Marian Harkin, he attributed his vote to a number of factors, including the fact that two Fine Gael councillors did not run this time round, creating a vacuum he was happy to exploit.

Geography played a big role as he farms in a very central area of North Leitrim, he has played a lot of Gaelic football in his day, teaches in Bundoran and is chair of Treasure Leitrim which campaigned against a gold prospecting licence granted in Leitrim two years ago.

He also said his connection to Harkin may have helped: “It did not do me any harm but the one thing Marian did say to me at the start was that only you can get you elected.”

Healy Raes continue to dominate politics in South Kerry

Anne Lucey writes

Independent councillor Maura Healy Rae is set to repeat her extraordinary performance of 2019 and have two quotas in Killarney, The daughter of Danny Healy-Rae, who teaches in Bandon Co Cork, is on target to equal if not exceed her 2019 first preference of 3,099.

Her brother Johnny, and cousin Jackie, also look set to be poll-toppers in other LEAs in Kerry.

James Geoghegan and Hazel Chu the first Councillors elected in Dublin

Jack White writes

Fine Gael and the Green Party have both filled the first two seats of Dublin City Council.

Fine Gael councillor James Geoghegan received the most votes at 2,327 in the Pembroke LEA, passing the quota of 1,947.

Green Party councillor Hazel Chu, who was first elected in 2019 and was elected Mayor of Dublin city in 2020, received 1,973 votes in the Pembroke LEA, passing the quota and retaining her seat.

THE STATE OF PLAY AT TEATIME

It’s teatime on Saturday and while it’s still very early, a number of key patterns are beginning to emerge.

The First Trend

Pat Leahy has new analysis which points to a disappointing election in prospect for Sinn Féin.

“It is certain now that Sinn Féin faces a difficult weekend,” Pat writes. “Just how difficult is not yet apparent, and may not be until late into tomorrow, as later counts proceed in the local elections and first counts approach in the Europeans. But, if anything, the picture for the party looks gloomier than it was this morning.”

Now, Sinn Féin will gain seats after losing 80 in 2019, but it’s resurgence will be nothing like what was being indicated by opinion polls up until a few months ago.

Ironically, one of the reasons for Sinn Féin poor performances in some local electoral areas is that they ran too many candidates. Mary Lou McDonald’s home turf of Cabra-Glasnevin is a good example. In 2020, they were criticised for running too few candidates. There are a few outliers though. The party looks like being the largest in Monaghan and is doing well in Offaly.

Pearse Doherty has been speaking in RTÉ just now: “It’s not the result we hoped for and there will be a lot of disappointment,” he said.

“We are determined to deliver change and need to communicate our message very clearly,

“There is a responsibility on us that we are fighting fit for (the general) election.”

The Second Trend

Government parties look like they are holding up. And that surprisingly includes the Greens. Fianna Fáil and the Greens will lose seats but will not haemorrhage them as has happened to both in the past. Fine Gael is likely to be the biggest party in local government. Fianna Fáil will make gains in the European constituencies. The Greens percentage share has fallen but many of its councillors will hold. The news is not so good for its two MEP although Roderic O’Gorman told Martin Wall a little while ago that he might be in the mix for the final seats.

The Third Trend

It’s been a strong day for the Independents and for the new party Independent Ireland. Ciaran Mullooly and Niall Boylan look like they could be elected as MEPs. That group is also likely to return a dozen councillors, if not more. Aontú also look like picking up a few more council seats, and the 100 Per Cent Redress group in Donegal (a single-issue group looking for redress for mica-damaged homes) could return three candidates. The Healy Raes have done well in Kerry. Kevin Boxer Moran has done exceedingly well in Athlone, Co Westmeath. The first councillor elected in the State was an Independent, Thomas Welby in North Connemara.

The Fourth Trend

The smaller parties. Labour seems to be doing well and may pick up a few extra seats. Aodhán Ó Ríordáin has done well in Dublin. The Social Democrats have not done strongly in the European but it could also pick up new councillors in new areas, including in Kildare. PBP-Solidarity could also make a handful of gains after a poor election in 2019, with former TD Ruth Coppinger in the hunt for a seat in Fingal.

The Fifth Trend

Is there growing support for the far right or openly anti-migrant candidates? They are still marginal and are not a factor in Ireland like they are in other European countries. But there are several candidates in Dublin who could win council seats, including Malachi Steenson and Gavan Pepper. Niall Boylan ran his campaign primarily on the migration issue and he is in contention in Dublin.

Election Daily: The first winners and losers emerge

Listen | 26:46

It is Saturday afternoon of a busy election weekend and while it is still far too early to draw conclusions about many aspects of the local and European contests, some trends are beginning to emerge. One of those trends is that Sinn Féin’s recent drop in opinion polls is being confirmed at the ballot box, the party’s support at these elections lower now than six months ago. Meanwhile the Coalition parties are cautiously optimistic that losses will be less than feared, while independent candidates look set to make gains. Hugh Linehan is joined by Pat Leahy and Jennifer Bray to assess what we are learning from tallies and the first results from count centres around the country.

Seamus McGrath, a brother of the Finance Minister, looks like he will be the highest vote-getter in the State in the local government elections. The final tally in the Carrigaline LEA for Cork Council indicates he will win a whopping 5,000 votes, over two-and-a-half times the quota. He has said he will consider a run for the Dáil if the opportunity arises.

First Councillor elected in Kerry

Tommy Griffin has been elected in West Kerry, in the Corcha Dhuibhne LEA.

Counting about to commence in Fingal where two former TDs may get elected

Martin Wall writes

Counting is scheduled to start shortly for the 40 seats on Fingal County Council with tallies suggesting that current Mayor Adrian Henchy of Fianna Fáil is in a battle to hold on.

The count is taking place at Cloghran, near Dublin Airport while the separation of the European and local election ballots as well as tallies were earlier carried out at the RDS in Dublin city.

Counting was scheduled to commence at 5pm but there was a delay in the boxes being returned from the RDS.

Labour Party activists are very pleased at the performance of Carina Johnson in the Donabate/Lusk electoral area where the party could win two seats with tallies indicating that Robert O’Donoghue is polling very strongly.

However, in the same electoral area Henchy is in a fight to hold his seat with tallies suggesting that he has received about eight per cent first preference votes.

Eoghan Dockrell could pick up a seat for Fine Gael in Lus/Donabate while Luke Corkery could win for the party in Swords.

In Swords, Independents4Change candidate Dean Mulligan leads with 14.9pc of the vote, according to tallies, closely followed by Darragh Butler from Fianna Fáil.

In Howth/Malahide, the Social Democrats’ Joan Hopkins is the front-runner, according to tallies with 15.5pc of the vote. Cathal Haughey, a son of Conor Haughey and grandson of former Taoiseach Charles Haughey is also polling well for Fianna Fáil.

The local election could also see two former TDs return to the council chamber in Fingal with former Labour Party TD Brendan Ryan polling well in Balbriggan and Ruth Coppinger in the hunt for a seat for People Before Profit–Solidarity in the Castleknock local electoral area.

In the Ongar electoral area in the west of Dublin, People Before Profit-Solidarity is doing very well, tallies suggest, with Kate Relihan on 28 per cent.

Sinn Féin, with 15, is running the largest number of candidates among the political parties but it has seen no widespread surge in its support. However, tallies suggest that the party is doing well in Blanchardstown/Mulhuddart.

Sinn Féin poised for gains in Offaly while Green Party looks like it will lose its sole seat

Ellen O’Riordan writes

With tallies finalised in Co Offaly, results for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael appear to be relatively steady, compared to their 2019 returns, while the Green Party is likely to lose its one council seat.

Sinn Féin, which failed to secure any seats in 2019, looks in with a chance of getting a councillor for each of the three local areas, depending on where transfers fall.

It will be some time before the first representative is elected to Offaly County Council, as the votes are being transferred from Birr to a community centre in Tullamore. Official counting is due to get under way this evening.

On the European front, home boy Barry Cowen, current Fianna Fáil TD, is the clear favourite among Co Offaly voters. Tallies have him taking 50 per cent of the first preference votes, while ex-RTE Midlands correspondent Ciaran Mullooly has 12 per cent and is closely followed by Fine Gael’s Nina Carberry, a former jockey, on 10 per cent. Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan will hope his eight per cent share here will help him retain his MEP seat.

No Change in East Cork according to tallies

Amy Campbell writes

An early tally for East Cork suggests that at least three of four incumbent candidates will retain their seats.

With 34.8% of the boxes open, sitting Independent Mary Linehan Foley is in the lead with 26.7% of votes followed by sitting Fine Gael councillor Michael Hegarty on 13.8%.

Close behind him is new Fianna Fáil candidate Patrick Mulcahy on 13.2%, with Social Democrats’ Liam Quaide on 10.3%, likely to retain the seat he won in 2019 as a member of the Green Party.

Fine Gael’s Rory Cocking (8.1%) and Alison Curtin (6.7%) make up the remainder of the top six, but are closely followed by sitting Fianna Fáil councillor Anne Marie Aherne (6.6%), according to the early tally.

The ballot papers tallied so far show Independent John Buckley at 5.3%, Sinn Féin’s Edith Adams and Independent Ireland’s Eileen Kelly McCarthy are both at 5%, and Aontú’s Mona Stromsoe is at 4.4%.

Bringing up the rear are Independent Sean Buckley at 3.9%, Ireland First’s Paddy Bullman at 2.9%, the Green Party’s Clodagh Harrington at 2.8%, Independent Michelle Neville at 1.3% and The Irish People’s James O’Sullivan at 1.2%.

And five Councillors in Galway now elected

John Fallon writes

Following Thomas Welby in North Connemara, and the three councillors in the south of the county, Séamus Walsh has also been elected. Walsh is a former Fianna Fáil councillor but left the party following the protests against an accommodation centre for asylum seekers in Roscahill earlier this year.

He been elected on the second count in Connemara North.

Councillors in South Galway retain their seats

John Fallon writes

Three sitting councillors – Fine Gael’s PJ Murphy (1953), Fianna Fáil’s Martina Kinane (1884) and Independent Geraldine Donoghue (1761) all re-elected in the first count in Gort-Kinvara in Galway. Fine Gael’s Paul Killilea (1538) set for fourth seat with Fianna Fáil’s Gerry Finnerty (1225) poised for the fifth and final seat, as Megan Flynn Dixon of the Green Party (762) and Lucina Kelly of Sinn Féin (523) look to have too much ground to make up.

Tánaiste Micheál Martin predicts gains for FF in European elections.

Barry Roche writes:

Tánaiste Micheál Martin speaking in Cork City Hall says Fianna Fáil are doing much better than the polls and many pundits predicted

However, he says notwithstanding the likely good return for Fianna Fáil in terms of Council seats, he and his Coalition partners are committed to the government running full-term. He has ruled out an autumn General election and predicted the election will be held next February or March.

His comments echo those of Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe from earlier today.

On Ireland South, Mr Martin said he had seen only partial tallies but he believed Fianna Fáil’ Billy Kelleher would hold his seat while Cynthia Ní Mhurchú would be in contention to take a seat

He predicted Fianna Fáil would gain a seat in Ireland North West, the first such gain for the party in 15 years.

Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael neck-and-neck in Cavan: Aontú showing up well

Here is the latest from the Cavan count, where tallying has been completed in the three municipal districts.

Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are neck and neck with a 28 per cent share each; Independents and others (including Aontú) are on 27 per cent; with Sinn Féin commanding a 17 per cent share.

Bailieborough-Cootehill LEA

Leading the way in Bailieborough-Cootehill is Aontú's Sarah O’Reilly with 1,746 votes or 14.6 per cent of the vote. With an expected quota of 1,714, she’s on course to be elected on the first count.

She’s followed closely by Cllr Carmel Brady (FG) on 1,674 first preferences or 14 per cent of the boxes tallied.

Her party colleague, Cllr Val Smith, also appears to have performed well with 1,391 first preferences or 11.6 per cent.

Fianna Fáil’s Clifford Kelly is next best with 1,233 votes tallied or 10.3 per cent. Just behind him is his party colleague, Cllr Aiden Fitzpatrick, who has polled 1,165 number ones or 9.7 per cent. Fianna Fáil’s Niall Smith (cousin of Deputy Niamh Smyth) is hot on his heels with 1,090 votes (9.1 per cent).

The two Sinn Féin candidates – first timer Stiofan Conaty and Cllr Paddy McDonald – who have 1,065 (8.9 per cent) and 756 votes (6.3 per cent). It’s looking like the party will hold its seat but there may be a changing of the guard.

Ballyjamesduff LEA

Independent Ireland candidate Cllr Shane P. O’Reilly, formerly of Fianna Fáil, is set to top the poll here. Tallies give him 1,753 votes (14.6 per cent). With an estimated quota of 1,652, he is expected to be elected on the first count.

He’s followed by Cllr Trevor Smith (FG) on 1,653 votes, and his party colleague Cllr Winston Bennett (1,446).

Next best is Cathaoirleach, Cllr Philip Brady (FF) with 1,276 and Fine Gael’s Cllr T.P. O’Reilly (1,156). Sinn Féin candidate Noel Connell is in the race to retain the seat he lost in 2019 with 1,055 votes.

Hot on his heels in the fight for a seat is the dark horse in this race Lester Gordon (Shamrock Independents) with 990 first preferences. Fianna Fáil’s Nathan Galligan is on 836 votes.

Cavan-Belturbet LEA

Fianna Fáil councillor Áine Smith is set to top the poll here. It will be a bittersweet moment for the teacher, who was co-opted on to Cavan County Council earlier this year following the death of her father, Cllr Séan Smith.

Cllr Smith has polled 1,698 first preferences, with an estimated quota of 1,394. Independent Cllr Brendan Fay is hot on her heels with 1,634 votes and he too should get in on the first count.

Fine Gael’s Niamh Brady – who’s vying to hold the seat held by her mother, Cllr Madeleine Argue, has done well on her first time out with tallies putting her at 999 votes.

Cllr John Paul Feeley (FF) is in fourth position with 983 and Sinn Féin’s Damien Brady is hot on his heels with 966, putting him in a strong position to regain the seat he lost in 2019.

Patricia Walsh (FF) is next best with 949 votes but will be under pressure from another sitting councillor, Cllr Peter McVitty (FG) on 935. Sinn Féin’s Michael ‘Bricker’ Wall (853 votes) is also in the mix for the last seat. Transfers will be key.

west Cork

The first tallies from west Cork courtesy of David Forsythe.

With 90 per cent of the boxes open, it is looking good for independents in particular. This is the home base of Independent Ireland leader Michael Collins and the party’s candidates in Bandon/Kinsale (John Collins) and in Bantry (Danny Collins) look like they are nailed-on certainties to win seaats.

Fine Gael is also showing strongly in the three LEAs in west Cork with Noel O’Donovan looking set to top the poll in Skibbereen. It’s more of a mixed result for Fianna Fáil. Margaret Murphy O’Mahony has a fight on her hands if the tallies are correct. Sinn Féin had targeted Cork South West as a possible gain in the next general election, but its candidates in Skibbereen and Bandon are well down the field.

No change expected in Killarney

Anne Lucey writes:

Despite a high number of candidates in Killarney political pundits are saying there will be no change. With around one fifth of the 52 boxes tallied so far in Killarney – Maura Healy-Rae looks to be coasting home at over 1000 votes – followed by fellow Independent Martin Grady at 678.

Grady, who is outspoken on immigration is polling surprising well. independent John O’Donoghue has 626 first preferences. Both Grady and Donoghue were co-opted on the retirement of their father and uncle respectively. Their predecessors were high vote-getters in 2019.

Long standing Independent councillor Brendan Cronin is on 585. Other sitting councillors are bunched together: Labour’s Marie Moloney is on 342; and Niall Botty O’Callaghan is on 330.

Fianna Fáil’s Niall Kelleher, the mayor of Killarney, is on 268.

Fianna Fáil perform strongly in Roscommon (town and surroundings) LEA

James Fogarty reports

The Roscommon LEA has been fully tallied, with Cllr Paschal Fitzmaurice of Fianna Fáil projected to top the poll with 1,845 votes. His two party colleagues Marty McDermott and Larry Brennan also look to be well positioned. Gareth Scahill looks likely to win a seat for Fine Gael while Independent Ireland’s Nigel Dineen and Independent Tony Waldron are also in good shape with a projected quota of 1,500.

Brennan (FF): 1,191

Dineen (II): 1,318

Finnegan (IP): 78

Fitzmaurice (FF): 1,845

Hester (GP): 147

McConn (FG): 745

McDermott (FF): 1,618

McDonagh (SF): 654

Scahill (FG): 1,173

Slamen (IFP): 274

Waldron (IND): 1,399

Some good news for Sinn Féin

As Seanín Graham reports from Monaghan, there is some good news for Sinn Féin, based on the tallies. The party looks like it will win an additional two seats on the country council, with Fine Gael also having a prospect of one-seat gain.

Fianna Fáil looks to lose a seat with only one Independent predicted to get through. If the tallies are correct, it will mean Sinn Féin will be the largest party on the council with eight seats, with six for Fine Gael, three for Fianna Fáil, plus a single Independent.

The State of Play in Longford

An update from Jessica Thompson in Longford, where all the boxes have been tallied in the Granard and Ballymahon local electoral area areas ... Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil both seem to be having a good day.

Granard:

Turnout: 67.6%

FG: 58.7%

FF: 17.7%

SF: 3.6%

Ind: 20%

Garry Murtagh (FG): 20.4%

Turlough ‘Pott’ McGovern (Ind): 20%

Paraic Brady (FG): 16.9%

Colin Dalton (FG): 11.6%

Padraig McNamara (FG): 9.8%

David Cassidy (FF): 7.6%

Susan Murphy (FF): 6%

Marett Smith (FF): 4.1%

Barry Campion (SF): 3.6%

Ballymahon:

Turnout: 60.7% FG: 34.6% FF: 30.9% SF: 7.9% IP: 2.3% Ind: 24.4%

Paul Ross (FG): 18.7% Mick Cahill (FF): 12.2% Pat O’Toole (FF): 10.3% Mark Casey (Ind): 8.9% Sean Mimnagh (FF): 8.4% Gerard Farrell (Ind): 8.3%

Martin Skelly (FG): 8.3% John Rooney (SF): 7.9% Colm Murray (FG): 7.6% Niall Dowler (Ind): 6% Mandy Larkin (IP): 2.3% Francesca Pawelczyk (Ind): 1.1%

Olivia Kelly writes from Dublin:

While the Greens won’t repeat their astonishing 2019 performance in Dublin city, tallies suggest their vote is holding up well, with some expected to top the poll. These include first time candidate Feljin Jose who is set to take the first seat in exceptionally crowded Cabra Glasnevin Ward where 21 candidates were competing for seven seats, as well as sitting councillors Claire Byrne southeast inner city, Micheal Pidgeon in South West Inner City and Carolyn Moore Kimmage Rathmines.

The Social Democrats are also doing well, particularly on the northside, where they could take two seats in Artane Whitehall. Long serving Independent John Lyons is set to top the poll here.

Here the council could also see the election of a far-right candidate for the first time with Sinn Féin possibly losing out to Kevin Coyle.

The far right could also secure a seat in Ballymun Finglas for Gavin Pepper, but look most assured of success in the North Inner City with Malachy Steenson.

Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil are doing well throughout the city. Fianna Fáil looks set to take two seats in Donaghmede with Tom Brabazon at an astonishing 19.9 per cent of the vote on tallies. Fine Gael are in with a shout of two seats in Cabra Glasnevin. In most northside areas Labour will be hoping for transfers to secure any seats, but on the southside they look secure in Dermot Lacey in Pembroke and Fiona Connolly in Kimmage Rathmines.

Olivia Kelly gives her analysis of the latest play from the counts in Dublin. Video Bryan O’Brien.

Independents’ Day

It is always easier to discern trends for parties rather than independents as they don’t form a very cohesive bunch.

Independents have traditionally done well in local elections and 2024 is no exception. We have already seen an Independent being elected as the first councillor in the State (Thomas Welby in North Connemara). In Donegal, the single-issue Mica candidates, standing under the 100 Per Cent Redress Banner, are doing very well indeed, with two nailed-on councillors (if the tallies are accurate) and a third councillor looking on the cards in the Letterkenny LEA.

By contrast, the independents associated with Independent TD for Wexford Verona Murphy do not look like they will get past the post but it is early days yet.

Other trends that will be interesting during the course of the day will be the fortunes of the 66 Aontú candidates in the local elections, as well as the candidates who have been running under the Independent Ireland banner. https://x.com/Jennifer_Bray

It’s Harry McGee and I’m taking over from Conor Pope for the late shift just as we move from tallies to counts, from candidates to councillors, from hopefuls to also-rans.

It comes as the first councillor in the country, Thomas Welby, in Connemara is elected.

He is an Independent but comes from the Bobby Molloy gene pool. The Welbys moved over to the PDs when Molloy left Fianna Fáil in 1986 and that bloc still has a presence on Galway County Council, Galway City Council and in the Dáil, with Galway West TD Noel Grealish.

First councillor elected

Independent Thomas Welby has become the first councillor to be formally elected after taking a seat on Galway County Council for the Conamara North LEA. A serving councillor, he topped the poll after the first count with 1,758 votes – exceeding the quota of 1,591. The Galway Advertiser captured the moment.

News from Ronan McGreevy in Kildare.

The youngest candidate in the country is polling well and in with a chance of a seat on Kildare County Council.

James Stokes (18), a member of the travelling community, is standing in the Newbridge local electoral area (LEA).

Tallies suggest Mr Stokes, a primary schoolteacher trainee at Maynooth University, is on course to take one of the six seats in the Newbridge area.

Newbridge is one of eight electoral areas in the county and its count will take place on Sunday.

Four counts, Celbridge, Clane, Maynooth and Naas are taking place today in Punchestown Racecourse with the counts for the remaining three, Athy, Kildare and Clane due to start on Sunday morning.

After a gap of nearly five years, Kevin Boxer Moran is returning to the political realm.

The Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe believes it is “all to play for” and Fine Gael has “a great chance of doing well” as counting in the local elections continues.

Speaking on RTÉ Radio 1 he said that it was important not to exaggerate the rise of the far right in Ireland while not downplaying the consequences of any electoral success they might have.

Malachy Steenson who ran on an anti-immigration platform in Mr Donohoe’s constituency looks set to be elected to Dublin City Council although the minister pointed out that Fine Gael’s sitting councillor Ray McAdam is likely to top the poll in the north inner city electoral area.

The minister was asked about the prospect of a general election sooner rather than later and downplayed the likelihood. He said he had talked to the Taoiseach Simon Harris this morning and he was of the view that they “keep at our work”.

“We complete our work and we then, at the right point, which will be I believe at the end of the Dáil mandate, make our case to the country,” Mr Donohoe said.

And we have a detailed update from Dublin from Jack White.

The tallies are complete in some Local Electoral Areas (LEA) for Dublin City Council, with candidates from the Green Party, Social Democrats and Fine Gael faring well in some areas.

In Pembroke, Fine Gael’s James Geoghegan has received the most first preference votes (19.9 per cent), followed by Green Party councillor Hazel Chu (16.8 per cent) and Labour’s Dermot Lacey (16.4 per cent).

New Fine Gael candidate Emma Blain and Fianna Fáil’s Rory Hogan follow closely behind while Social Democrats candidate Karen Hinkson-Deeney is in 6th position.

The Irish People candidate Connor Rafferty is in last position here with 298 first preference votes (2.6 per cent).

For the South East Inner City LEA, Green Party candidate Claire Byrne is coming out on top with 15 per cent of first preference votes.

Sinn Féin’s incumbent councillor Daniel Céitlinn is currently placed sixth in the five-seat LEA at 7.1 per cent.

Based on the tallies, Social Democrats could gain a seat here, with new candidate Cian Farrell coming third (8.5 per cent), after Fine Gael councillor Danny Byrne 10.2 per cent.

People Before Profit candidate Brigid Purcell received 7.3 per cent of first preference votes, coming fourth followed by independent councillor Mannix Flynn at 7.2 per cent.

In Kimmage-Rathmines, Fine Gael could be set to gain a seat, with new candidates Punam Rane coming second with 11% of first preference votes and Patrick Kinsella coming sixth with 9.1 per cent.

Sinn Féin’s candidate Jacinta Deigan is eight at 5.4 per cent.

Green Party councillor Carolyn Moore received the most first preference votes 12.2 per cent followed by Labour councillor Fiona Connelly at 10.9 per cent and Right to Change councillor Pat Dunne (10.7 per cent).

In South West Inner City, where 100 per cent of boxes have been tallied, the Green Party is leading with first preference votes.

Green Party councillor Michael Pidgeon received 18.7 per cent, followed by Labour’s Darragh Moriarty at 12 per cent and Social Democrats candidate Jen Cummins at 11 per cent.

In the Ballyfermot-Drimnagh LEA where all boxes have been tallied, Daithí Doolan has 15 per cent of first preference votes, followed by independent councillor Vincent Jackson at 13 per cent and People Before Profit councillor Hazel De Nortuín (11 per cent).

Independent Ireland candidate Philip Sutcliffe received 7 per cent of first preference votes while Irish Freedom Party candidate Barry Ward received 5 per cent (643).

Sutcliffe also ran in Kimmage-Rathmines where he is tenth based on the tallies, receiving 5.1 per cent of first preference votes (848).

As the tallying nears completion for Louth county council, it is clear that Independents are having a particularly strong appearance, reports Shauna Bowers.

In the Dundalk South local electoral area, Independent Cllr Maeve Yore has been topping the votes since early morning, making her third term in the council looking ever more likely.

Other strong independent candidates include Paddy McQuillan and Kevin Callan, who both look set to claim seats in the Drogheda Rural local electoral area, according to early tallies.

Both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael look likely to continue their dominant presence in the council. Labour is also popular among voters, with Pio Smith and Michelle Hall topping votes in their respective LEAs.

The last election was disappointing for Sinn Féin, but the party could turn its luck around. In the Dundalk Carlingford LEA, Antoin Watters is leading the tallies with more than 70 per cent of boxes opened.

Tallies from Wicklow indicate the Independent Ireland candidate Ian Neary is likely to win a seat on Wicklow County Council, writes Tim O’Brien.

With all of the boxes open in the Bray East Municipal area, tallies put Neary in third place in the four-seater, with 13.9 per cent of the vote

In the Wicklow local electoral area the ‘Newtrownmountkennedy says no’ candidate John Larkin looks to be falling back after having about 10 per cent of the tallies, by lunchtime.

With 56 per cent of the boxes open by 2.15pm Larkin had slipped to just 4.6 per cent. The state of the parties was FG 19 per cent; FF14.7 per cent; SD 9.3 per cent; Labour 3.9 per cent; and SF 10 per cent.

The count in Limerick will not be suspended to allow counters, politicians and would-be politicians and their supporters watch the Munster hurling final between Limerick and Clare. By contrast, counting in Clare will be suspended from 4pm to allow people watch the match. And why the different stances? Well, Limerick is under more pressure because the Mayoral count has to start on Monday so they will need to be done and dusted with the council election by then.

And it is quite the opposite story in Cavan, reports Linda O’Reilly. A complete tally from Cavan Belturbet LEA suggests that Sinn Féin will win back the seat they lost there in 2019 and perhaps even gain a second at the expense of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. Cllr Aine Smith (FF) is set to top the poll

Fine Gael are polling well across Dún Laoghaire Rathdown, writes Marie O’Halloran.

The Green vote is holding up and they are hopeful they may hold five if not all six of their seats, one in each of the six electoral areas.

It has been a poor election for Sinn Féin who lost their three seats in 2019.

Based on tallies it will be a reach for the party to win a seat in any ward, but the tallies come with the obvious health warnings.

In Stillorgan area, Fine Gael have 53.32 per cent and three seats. They will have more than 10 per cent of a surplus, but the question is where it will go.

The Social Democrats., Fianna Fáil, Greens and Independent are fighting for three seats.

In seven seat Glencullen, independent Cllr Mick Fleming has a whopping estimated 3,666 votes, more than two quotas.

Labour’s Lettie McCarthy is in second place, with Fine Gael third and Greens fourth. Fianna Fáil will most likely take the fifth seat.

In Blackrock Fine Gael’s Marie Baker has almost tow quotas based on tallies. Fine Gael Senator Barry Ward said this was a failure of vote management but the party will take two seats anyway, based on tallies.

In Dundrum independent Cllr Sean McLougjlin is tally poll topper, with Fine Gael’s Jim O’Leary in second place and Fianna Fáil’s Shay Brennan in third place. Labour’s Peter O’Brien is fourth and also likely to take a seat with a Green seat also expected here.

In Killiney-Shankill it looks like three seats for Fine Gael based on tallies.

Question over number of Sinn Féin candidates

“The three Coalition parties are cautiously welcoming the results of early tallies for the local and European elections, with questions being asked around whether Sinn Féin have run too many candidates nationwide,” writes Political Correspondent Jennifer Bray.

“Green Party sources believe they are polling ahead of expectations, while Fine Gael are also cautiously optimistic that their result will be in line with recent polls. It also looks set to be a good day for Independent candidates.”

She has a very detailed breakdown of what is happening where in the very early hours of what will be a long weekend of counting.

The Galway Ring is still missing but there is happier news in Wicklow.

Fianna Fáil’s director of elections for the Local Elections Jack Chambers was sounding upbeat on RTÉ radio just there and suggested his party might even finish top of the pile when it comes to councillors.

“As a party we’re performing well, our vote is holding in many of the electoral areas and we’re very much in the competitive mix across five, six and seven seat constituencies,” he said.

“I think we were the most active visible grassroots campaigners as a party,” he added. “I think we’re very much in the mix to be the largest party of local government but that’s too early to call but if you look at any opinion poll we were behind two other parties for months.”

And we have some news from Limerick.

Former General Secretary at the Dept of Finance, John Moran running as an independent is the early front-runner in the historic first-ever Directly Elected Mayoral election in Limerick, according to an unofficial cross party tally here at Limerick Racecourse Count Centre.

The tally after 20% of boxes opened, is as follows ...

• John Moran IND (25%),
• Helen O’Donnell IND (17%)
• Dee Ryan FF (14%)
• Daniel Butler FG (Ex Mayor) (11%)
• Maurice Quinlivan SF TD (10%)
• Frankie Daly IND (6%)
• Brian Leddin GREEN (4%)
• Sarah Beasley Aontú (3%)
• Elisa O’Donovan S-DEM (3%)
• Dr Laura Keyes RA (2%)
• Ruairí Fahy PBP (1%)
• Caitríona Ní Chatháin SP (1%)
• Gerben Uunk Animal Party (1%)
• Colm O’Móráin IND (0%)

The votes will not be counted until Monday at the earliest.

Some early but illuminating analysis from our Political Editor Pat Leahy has landed.

While it is still early days, the tallies are indicating that the outcome will be “broadly as suggested by the opinion polls,” he says.

Independents will do well and there is support for anti-immigration candidates “from the merely immigration-sceptic to the far-right, Ireland-for-the-Irish brigade” but he says that on “a very initial look, it seems that the former stands a much better chance of winning seats that the latter”.

Support for Government parties appears to be down – “but not disastrously so. Both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael seem likely to lose local authority seats ... but that was expected after strong results in 2019.”

He also says the early Euro tallies “suggest that they are both on course to win seats in each of the constituencies.”.

Predictions of a collapse in the Green vote also seems wide of the mark with local tallies suggesting “there won’t be the sort of massacre of Green councillors that some feared.”

And he says that while Sinn Féin will “win lots of seats ... the slump in opinion poll ratings of recent months is being reflected in the ballot boxes”.

Kevin Cunningham of the Ireland Thinks polling company has just been on Newstalk and had this to say based on the tallies in some rural areas.

He said the Sinn Féin vote appears to be up but not by as much as might have been expected.

Fianna Fáil are also down in most tallies while Fine Gael are up in some tallies and down in others. They might finish as the largest party across councils.

The Green Party are up in most areas, he said while independents are up “a bit” and will do well but there is no indication of a massive wave of support for independents and they may struggle when it comes to transfers.

Again, the usual health warnings apply to this.

And this.

Two more updates from Jennifer Bray in Dublin.

Darragh Murphy is reporting for us from Waterford City where Fine Gael councillor Lola o Sullivan is doing very well in Tramore and City West with 18.3 per cent, and over 600 votes so far from initial tallies. Cllr Jim Griffin of Sinn Féin is following in second with 10.6 per cent of the tally. In Waterford City East, new independent candidate Declan Barry is doing very well with 18.2 per cent of the vote. Another Independent, Cllr David Daniels is following with 14.2 per cent of the tally in this area. A third independent, Cllr Donal Barry is well ahead in Waterford City South, with almost 20 epr cent of the tally so far. Fianna Fáil councillor is doing well in Dungarvan at present, with 17.4 per cent of the tally. Cllr Conor McGuinness (Sinn Féin) is following closely at 16.9 per cent and Cllr Damien Geoghegan (Fine Gael) is currently at 11.7 cent.

James Fogarty is covering the Roscommon counts for us and with 1 3 boxes tallied in the Roscommon Lea, sitting FF councillor Paschal Fitzmaurice is leading the way on 687. He is followed by Independent Ireland sitting councillor Nigel Dineen and close ally of TD Michael Fitzmaurice on 606. In the Boyle LEA, Independent Micheál Frain is polling very strongly on 712, followed by SF candidate on 575.

Voting aside, the diamond that apparently fell into a ballot box in Galway’s Leisureland has not been found despite the careful emptying of the box. If we hear any more, we’ll let you know.

Another snap update from Jennifer Bray.

And more from Anne Lucey in Kerry. It seems like the Healy Rae magic is as strong as it ever was.

“Corca Dhuibhne Ballots have been sealed and counted and are wending their way to Mitchell’s Tralee where there will be a first official count around 2pm it is anticipated. With half the boxes for the other end of the MD, the four seater Castleisland, Jackie Healy-Rae looks set to repeat his astonishing 2019 performance as head of the poll. He has just under 30 per cent of the first preference vote. A strong showing too from Independent Charlie Farrelly at under 20 per cent. FG man Bobby O’Connell, one of the longest serving councillors in Kerry these days is well in there at under 18 per cent. A surprise showing by independent Michelle Keane who is gathering votes across the eastern side of the LEA. She has stormed ahead of SF’s Deirdre Bell who are at only 6.1 per cent – so far. Both women are natives of Knocknagoshel near the Limerick border.”

More early days news from Jennifer Bray.

A ballot box from the Gort-Kinvara area has had to be opened on a sheet on the ground in Galway as a diamond fell into the ballot box, writes John Fallon. A search and rescue mission is ongoing in Leisureland.

Marese McDonagh is covering the elections for us in Sligo and sends this report.

“With 15 out of 36 boxes tallied in Sligo-Strandhill LEA, Chris MacManus (SF) has 34 per cent in his home turf, followed by Luke Ming Flanagan with 9 per cent while Fine Gael’s Maria Walsh has eight per cent, according to the tally. It shows Fianna Fáil candidates Lisa Chambers and Barry Cowen running neck and neck with four per cent each. Former RTÉ midlands correspondent Ciaran Mulooly is also on four per cent while PBP candidate Brian O’Boyle has six per cent in Sligo according to the tally. Fianna Fáil’s Neil Blaney and Nina Carberry (FG) are on three per cent.”

Ellen O’Riordan has some figures on the same election but from the midlands.

“Early tallies show Fianna Fáil’s Barry Cowen streaks ahead of rivals in his home county of Co Offaly. Ex-RTE Midlands correspondent Ciaran Mullooly, who is running for Independent Ireland, looks to have strong support, as does Fine Gael’s Nina Carberry, a former jockey. Independent Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan, who is hoping to hold on to his MEP seat, is also doing well.”

So, as you might have guessed, it is still all to play for.

A bit more from Kerry.

And this from Sorcha Crowley in Leitrim. “Early indications from the Ballinamore Local Electoral Area of Leitrim are showing a strong vote for Fine Gael and Sinn Féin with respective councillors Enda McGloin edging ahead on 22 per cent of the vote, Brendan Barry (SF) on 19 per cent of the vote while Fianna Fáil’s Paddy O’Rourke from Carrigallen is on 10 per cent of the vote – he topped the poll in the county in 2019.”

This just in from Anne Lucey in Kerry. “With all boxes open and most tallied in Corca Dhuibhne tallies showing a strong performance by Sinn Féin’s Robert Brosnan – a second time candidate. He’s polling strongly in the three seater. Fine Gael’s sitting councillor Seamus Cosái Fitzgerald looks to be in trouble. Second FG Tommy Griffin – assistant to TD Brendan Griffin – at 24 per cent is ahead of all candidates across the peninsula so far. A strong showing too from Dingle GP Green candidate Dr Peadar O’Fionnáin who has managed to pick votes up across the peninsula from Ballyferriter to Lispole. Fianna Fáil’s Michael O’Shea sitting councillor based in Milltown is likely to hold the seat. However the second FF Breandán Fitzgerald may be in trouble. Transfers will be crucial.

Videographer Brian O’Bryan has been out and about in the Dublin count centre this morning.

David Raleigh is in Limerick and has this nugget. “Limerick Returning Officer Vincent Murray warns reporters they will be kicked out of the count centre if they take photos/video of ballot papers. Pressure is mounting here at the Limerick Racecourse and we’re not even at the starters orders yet.”

It should go without saying that it is very early days and the earliest of tallies come with more health warnings than a duty free box of cigarettes but is this a sign of what may be to come?

It’s a marathon, not a sprint, that’s for sure.

Here we go, here we go etc ...

And we’re off. The ballot boxes have just been opened and counting is under way. It won’t be long before we get the first indications as to what the days ahead might hold. Stand by please!

Politics has always been a performance, but performative violence – abuse as content creation – is something new, at least at the scale that the anecdotal data suggests. We are in a dangerous era of hybrid online-offline political violence.. This piece from Liz Carolan sets the scene for where wee are and how we got here.

Jack Horgan Jones has an excellent wrap covering what can expect and what we should be looking out for as the count gets under way

“Giving out is the new going out,” writes Miriam Lord today. “We have always been good at complaining, but if reports coming back from canvassers around the country were anything to go by, a whole new level of grumpiness has taken hold.” Her campaign highs and lows and rewards is well worth a couple of minutes of your time.

Now, obviously, this Live Story will focus exclusively on election related matters for the next 16 or so hours but before we get properly under way, we thought we’d bring you a sliver of joy from last night in case you missed. it. And even if you didn’t miss it, you might enjoy watching it again.

We have a depressing but unsurprising story as our front page lead today. It notes that the campaign has been “marred by incidents of intimidation, abuse and in some cases violence against candidates”.

According to the report, “Gardaí are understood to be pursuing several investigations into instances of assault or intimidation over the past month, while research by two anti-extremist groups confirmed the views of many parties and politicians about a campaign which has seen repeated occasions where candidates feared for their safety”.

That research suggests what while candidates from across the political spectrum were targeted, including far-right candidates and those critical of immigration “the majority of those taking part in such actions are influenced by far-right rhetoric.”

Another question that we might have to answer before we are done with this election cycle is what happens if any sitting TD is elected to Europe or indeed to be the directly elected mayor of Limerick.

In the normal course of events a byelection automatically takes place but there is considerable gossip in the corridors of power about a snap election before any byelection can be scheduled.

Under the rules, the Dáil must issue the writ for a by-election within six months of the retirement of a TD. A general election might come sooner than that.

In which case we will be back here again.

But, we are getting ahead of ourselves. We have much to do before we get to that point.

And finally we have Limerick where 15 candidates are vying to become the very first directly elected mayor in the Republic.

Counting does not begin until Monday and as there is only one position or seat up for grabs, the quota is 50 per cent of valid votes plus 1. Basically, the threshold is higher to succeed, so the counting may not wrap up until Tuesday.

As to the bigger picture, across the EU, a total of 720 MEPs will be elected. Seats are allocated on the basis of population of each member state of the European Union. No country can have fewer than six or more than 96 MEPs.

After the Local Election count is done and dusted, we will have the European election count. There are a huge number of candidates are running for a small number of seats so it will be a real scramble everywhere.

In Midlands North-West, there are 27 candidates on the ballot paper. As our political correspondent Jennifer Bray has noted, in the 2019 European election, the count took four days to elect four MEPs. Now there are five seats.

“It all depends on the strength of the vote won by the top candidates and how much clear space they can put between them and others,” she says.

In 2019, counting went on in Ireland South for around seven days. There are 23 candidates running this time around in Ireland South. In 2019, Dublin was quicker, taking three days. There are also 23 candidates running in Dublin.

In any event, the European count will start at 9am on Sunday but results cannot be announced until voting concludes across Europe at 10pm Irish time tomorrow.

As I said, there are three elections counts happening this weekend covering the European Parliament the local elections and the first directly elected mayor of Limerick.

So, how does it all happen?

Well, first the ballot boxes will be opened and the papers will be sorted and separated.

Counting in the local elections will take place first. There are around 2,100 candidates running in 31 local authorities, covering a total of 166 local electoral areas. These local politicians are competing for 949 seats, so the competition will be pretty intense.

While it will take some time for the seats to be filled, the tallymen and tallywomen in count centres around the country will be working their magic from the get go and watching the votes being opened and sorted.

These tallies will give an early indication as to how the race is panning out and will be closely watched by politicians and journalists – including this live story.

All going well, the count should be done today – but it doesn’t always go well so we will have to wait and see what happens.