Eliminated: Bad news for three Kilkenny City candidates as voters have their say

It's been a challenging election for several independent candidates in Kilkenny, with two of them - Michael McGrath and Noel G Walsh - now eliminated after the second and third count in Kilkenny City LEA.

Walsh polled 18 first preference votes, while McGrath managed 52 votes. Non-party Jon Aza, who received 65 first preference votes, has now also been eliminated, Liam Heffernan who got 153, and Toluwani Akaehomen who polled 323 first preferences.

The one independent to buck the trend in the city is Euguene McGuinness, who received 1,136 first preferences, and is now picking up transfers on surpluses and eliminations, which have him very close to landing a seat.

That's the tale of independents so far, but it's a trend largely borne out across the other LEAs as well. No non-party candidates were elected in Piltown or in Callan-Thomastown. The only other independent who looks set to register is Maurice Shortall in North Kilkenny, where tallies suggest he is likely to take a seat.

The two largest parties, Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, are on course to take the majority of seats in the city as in other areas. Sitting councillors have been largely rewarded by the electorate and are retaining their seats in most cases.