ELECTED AND ELATED: Fianna Fail's John Coonan and Green Party's Maria Dollard on Cloud Nine in Kilkenny LEA
They have both been elected in the early hours of Monday morning
The final three seats have been filled in Kilkenny LEA before 2am on Monday, on Count 15, without any of the candidates reaching the quota.
On Count 14, Evan Barry of Sinn Fein was eliminated. It came down to three seats between four candidates as his votes were distributed.
Fianna Fail's John Coonan has been elected, ending with 1,078 votes after transfers. He had every right to be hopeful after tallies and after a solid first preference vote, in the end proving transfer-friendly enough to secure the seat.
Labour's Sean O'hArgain returns to the council chamber. His first preferences also had him in good stead after the count, and running mate Andrea Cleere's transfer's were a huge lift to him upon her elimination. He also benefited from Sinn Fein's Evan Barry's elimination, finishing with 1,106 after transfers.
Green Party councillor Maria Dollard has also held onto the seat into which she was co-opted after the Dail election of Malcolm Noonan. She has repaid the trust shown to her and delivered when the party needed a result; she will be its only council representative now. Her final poll was 891 after Count 15.
Martin O'Neill of the Social Democrats was - for many - a surprise contender right to the bitter end. After an impressive first preference vote, he picked up transfers steadily as a newcomer, and was always in with a chance of winning that final seat. Having come so close, it will be a very bitter pill to swallow. He may well be back the next time.
It was a tough night for sitting councillor Martin Brett (FG) also. He was eliminated on Count 13.
More to follow...