Incumbent TD Carol Nolan topped the poll with 8,282 first-preference votes leaving her just shy of the 9,347 quota. The Independent candidate increased her vote by 10 per cent from 2020, while Fianna Fáil’s first preferences decreased by the same figure.

Ms Nolan was elected on the fifth count as fellow Independent and former Fianna Fáil candidate Eddie Fitzpartrick was eliminated.

From early in the day at the count it was obvious that Ms Nolan would top the poll and there were no great surprises as the count progressed leaving three candidates locked in a tightly fought battle for the remaining two seats.

Shortly after 2am the Faithful County’s two newest TDs were declared elected without reaching the quota on the seventh count. Tony McCormack (FF) was elected with 9,151 votes while Fine Gael’s John Clendennen took the final seat with a 8,617 total, narrowly defeating Sinn Féin’s Aoife Masterson. It was an impressive result for the recently elected first-time councillor, who was just 150 votes shy of securing a seat.

It had been anticipated that McCormack would keep Barry Cowen’s seat for Fianna Fáil and that it would be a close fight for the third seat.