IT'S ALL OVER: Final round-up from Kilkenny count centre, with all 24 council seats now filled

It's all over after another long day at Lyrath count centre. Here's how things have finished up, at the end of Kilkenny's Local Elections 2024, with all 24 seats filled. 

The make-up of Kilkenny County Council is: Fianna Fail (11), Fine Gael (7), Labour (2), Sinn Fein (1), Green Party (1), Independent/Non-Party (2).

1. Kilkenny City
The poll was topped by Cllr Andrew McGuinness, the fifth time he has achieved this feat. He was followed by David Fitzgerald (FG), also on Count 1. It took until Count 8 for Independent councillor Eugene McGuinness to be elected to the third seat, and Fianna Fail's Joe Malone followed suit on Count 12. The three final seats went to Labour's Sean O'hArgain, Fianna Fail's John Coonan, and the Green Party's Maria Dollard. Sitting Fine Gael councillor Martin Brett lost his seat. Martin O'Neill of the Social Democrats came within a whisker of taking the final seat.

2. Castlecomer LEA
On Count 1, Pat Fitzpatrick (FF) topped the poll with over 21% of the vote, and Mary Hilda Cavanagh extended her record as Ireland's longest-serving councillor. They were later joined by Michael McCarthy (FF), and then John Brennan (FG). Independent Maurice Shortall is a newcomer who has shaken things up by taking the fifth seat, and sitting councillor Michael Delaney (FF) took the last. Another sitting councillor, Sinn Fein's Denis Hynes, lost his seat.

3. Piltown LEA
A new candidate took the final seat in the five-seater. She was the fourth woman elected in Kilkenny so far in these Local Elections - Jenny Catt Slattery (FF) from Mullinavat. Pat Dunphy (FG) topped the poll, followed by Tomas Breathnach (LAB), and the others are sitting councillors Fidelis Doherty (FG) and Ger Frisby (FF), who retained their seats.

4. Callan-Thomastown LEA
Counting continued well past 3am yesterday morning (Sunday) as the results from the Callan-Thomastown LEA were all wrapped up. The elected representatives are: Peter 'Chap' Cleere (Fianna Fail), Joe Sheridan (Fianna Fail), and Joe Lyons (Fine Gael). Cllr Cleere topped the poll with a massive 2,057 first preference votes, with Joe Sheridan behind him on 1,988 and Lyons picking up 1,612. There followed Michael Doyle (FG) and Deirdre Cullen (FF) in fourth and fifth seats, and then Sinn Fein's Stephanie Doheny won the final seat in the area.

Congratulations to all successful candidates and hard luck to those who did not get elected. See this week's Kilkenny People for full coverage.