After a mammoth four days of counting and rechecking the 18-seats on Carlow County Council have finally been filled.

Overall, there was a gain of one seat for Sinn Féin at the expense of Fianna Fáil, following two dramatic recounts in the Tullow electoral area, which saw just three votes separating three candidates seeking the final two seats.

In a nail-biting conclusion, Fine Gael’s Brian O’Donoghue finished on 894 votes, Sinn Féin’s Jim Deane on 893 and Fine Gael’s Catherine Callaghan on 892 votes. Mr Deane secured the seat following Tuesday’s second recount, bringing the party’s representation on the council to two, while Mr O’Donoghue held off the strong performance by party colleague and first-time candidate Ms Callaghan to retain his seat.

As was the trend nationally, it was solid election for Fine Gael, which retained six seats and welcoming some new faces to the council including 21-year-old Ben Ward in Tullow and Paul Doogue in the Carlow electoral area.

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Fianna Fáil dropped from six seats to five on the local authority. A strong performance by 24-year-old Daniel Pender (FF) saw him take a seat in the Muinebheag electoral area from his party colleague Arthur McDonald, ending his 39-year political career.

There were a devastating losses too for Fine Gael’s Tom O’Neill in Carlow and Fianna Fáil’s John McDonald in Tullow.

The county’s three poll toppers were Tommy Kinsella (FG) in Muinebheag (1,732 first preferences), John Pender (FF) in Tullow (1,335) and Fintan Phelan (FF) in Carlow (1,678).

Mr Pender’s election means he is now the county’s longest servicing councillor, with 39 years of service, and the only councillor ever to successful contest eight elections.

People Before Profit’s Adrienne Wallace held her seat in Carlow, but had to wait until the 14th count. Labour’s Willie Quinn was reelected in the same area while his former party colleague Will Patton, now an Independent, was returned in Tullow.

Independent Charlie Murphy (Tullow) and John Cassin (Carlow) were returned, as was Sinn Féin’s Andy Gladney in Muinebheag.

Carlow: 7 seats

Muinebheag: 5 seats

Tullow: 6 seats

[ View 2019 Carlow County Council resultsOpens in new window ]

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