Five Independents have been elected to Leitrim County Council after a mammoth 20-hour count in the Landmark Hotel in Carrick-on-Shannon.
The process wasn't completed until 5 o'clock this morning, when Sinn Fein's Roisin Kenny, a sister of Sligo-Leitrim TD Martin Kenny, got over the line to fill the 18th and final seat.
Along with five Independents, Fine Gael got three seats - down from six.
Fianna Fail got six seats - a replica of 2019.
Sinn Fein won four seats - up from three at the moment.
Carrick-on-Shannon
Sitting Independent councillors Enda Stenson and Des Guckian were both elected on the fourth count; along with first-time Fine Gael candidate Maeve Reynolds. They all exceeded the quota of 824, with Stenson getting 863, Guckian 837 and Reynolds 828.
The remaining three seats weren't filled until the seventh count; Whereas, Fianna Fail's Sean McGowan, Sinn's Fein's Cormac Flynn and Fianna Fail's Paddy Farrell got over the line, with 912, 841 and 800 votes respectively.
Ballinamore
In Ballinamore, Fianna Fail councillor Paddy O'Rourke topped the poll with 1,434 votes, well exceeding the quota of 944 on the first count. Also elected on the first count was Fine Gael councillor Enda McGloin, with 1,033.
Sinn Fein's Brendan Barry, another sitting councillor, was elected on the fifth count with 1,007.
Indeed, on the eighth and final count; Fianna Fail first-timer Gary Prior was elected, alongside Fine Gael councillor Ita Reynolds-Flynn and Sinn Fein first-timer Roisin Kenny, with 984, 961 and 742 votes respectively.
Manorhamilton
Independent James Gilmartin topped the poll in Manorhamilton on the first count. The 44-year-old got 1,335 first-preferences, well exceeding the quota of 907.
Indeed, Mary Bohan, of Fianna Fail, was elected on the third count, with 925. She is Fianna Fail's longest serving councillor and has continuously been a councillor for 45 years, first elected in 1979.
Whereas, the remaining seats were filled by Felim Gurn, an Independent, along with Sinn Fein councillor Padraig Fallon and Councillor Justin Warnock, of Fianna Fail and Independent Eddie Mitchell.
Some of the scenes at Leitrim Count Centre overnight as the 18 seats have now been filled.
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— Shannonside FM News (@shannonsidenews) June 9, 2024
