Four of the five outgoing TDs have been returned to the Dáil after a marathon which required 14 counts to whittle the 17 candidates down to five.

Outgoing Sinn Féin TD Mairéad Farrell topped the poll in Galway West and was elected on the 11th count along with Independent Catherine Connolly.

The elimination of Fine Gael’s Seán Kyne in the 13th count – the former government chief whip announced afterwards he is stepping away from politics after failing to return to the Dáil for the second time in a row – paved the way for four candidates to battle it out for the remaining three seats.

Independent Noel Thomas, who endured a tough weekend after his father died on Friday, battled all the way but Kyne’s transfers took his outgoing Fine Gael colleague across the line.

John Connolly, the only newcomer from the constituency this time, secured the seat vacated by his retiring Fianna Fáil colleague, Éamon Ó Cuív.

That left Independent Noel Grealish battling it out with Cllr Thomas, who left Fianna Fáil last year in a row over immigrant accommodation.

Mr Grealish retained his seat for a sixth term when the surpluses from Connolly and Hildegarde Naughton were distributed.

Four of the five TDs were former city councillors with only Grealish coming from a county council background. The result also means there is no TD from west of Galway city in the constituency this time in the Connemara area.