Counting is underway in Athy, Newbridge and Kildare LEAs while Naas is nearing an end.
Counting in the Leixlip LEA will commence after Naas finishes.
18.16
“It’s been an extraordinary day, particularly for Fine Gael, I’m delighted,” said a very happy cllr Peggy O’Dwyer who, along with her party colleague Tracey, have been elected to Newbridge LEA on the first count.
Tracey received 2,084 first preference votes, while Peggy got 2,016. “Tracey and I doubled our voted from the last time out five years ago,” Peggy added,
18.06
Naas is done. Ger Dunne becomes the first Independent Ireland candidate elected in Kildare taking the last seat in Naas LEA. Cllr Carmel Kelly is also elected without reaching quota.
17.51
First count in Newbridge
17.48
Ger Brennan will take the last seat in Naas. Heartbreak for Brian Larkin who has done fantastic but just falls short again. It will take one more count of cllr Seamie Moore’s surplus to finalise matters.
17.47
Cllrs Tracey O’Dwyer tops the poll and is elected along with Peggy O’Dwyer (both Fine Gael) on the first count in Newbridge LEA.
17.25
We’ve just had count 4 in Athy LEA, with nobody else reaching the quota of 1,658. David Owens (Fianna Fáil) has been eliminated.
17.05
Count three has been completed in Athy LEA and no further white smoke as of yet. Cllr Ivan Keatley’s surplus will now be distributed.
16.55
Veteran councillor Seamie Moore is still as hungry for the role of public rep as ever. He added: “I am delighted that the community of Naas, in a traditional sense, have related to what I do for the community. It’s a widespread vote, not a particular area or age group or club.”
16.55
Seamie Moore with supporters after being elected in the Naas LEA
16.46
Ivan Keatley with supporters at Punchestown. Photo: Aisling Hyland
For Athy councillor Ivan Keatley, the biggest change between canvassing for the 2019 elections and this latest round is a lot more electric gates!
“That is the big difference,” he said with a smile, “but in terms of people’s attitude – no, people are great, even people that don’t like your politics and they’re not going to vote for you, they’re respectful… people haven’t changed.”
The serving Fine Gael councillor took his seat in Athy LEA on the second count, having initially received 1,638 first preferences.
16.30
Naas count goes on with distribution of Bob Quinn’s votes. Labour’s Anne Breen and Independent councillor Seamie Moore are elected. Cllr Breen’s surplus of 129 will now be distributed. There is 60 votes between Ger Dunne (1324) and Brian Larkin (1264).
Second count
16.23
Cllr Ivan Keatley of Fine Gael elected on count 2 in the Athy LEA. Superb performance. Cllr Mark Leigh gets half of cllr Breslin’s surplus. Independent candidate Nicola Maughan has been eliminated and her 47 votes will now be distributed.
15.56
Cllr Aoife Breslin with supporters after topping the poll in the Athy LEA
“It’s one of the proudest days of my life,” said cllr Aoife Breslin, after she took the first seat in the Athy LEA this afternoon.
The Labour Party candidate, a sitting councillor, stormed home on the first count with a mammoth 2,347 first preference votes.
“I’m just a front person today, but there’s so many people behind me that I owe this to,” she said. “It’s not an Aoife Breslin achievement, it’s a Labour Party achievement and it’s down to every man, woman that gives their time to me and the Labour Party.”
15.55
Cllr Bob Quinn has conceded and his votes are now being distributed
15.43
First count in Athy LEA
Cllr Aoife Breslin with supporters after topping the poll in the Athy LEA
15.37
Cllr Aoife Breslin tops the Athy poll with a whopping 2347 votes. Quota is 1658. Her surplus with now be distributed.
15.00
Well this is something for the books, a jockey has had a bad fall in a race in Punchestown and Naas LEA Independent Ireland candidate Ger Brennan has run out of the trackside pavilion to marshall on the track! Some buachaill!
15.00
We’re still awaiting the first count in Newbridge, and 18-year-old James Stokes (Sinn Féin) is among those with a chance of a seat.
“Nothing’s certain, but we are still in with a fight. I know there’s a few candidates in for that final seat, that final push, hopefully transfers can get me over the line,” he said.
14.48
Cllr Kevin Duffy with his family at the count centre. Photo: Aisling Hyland
“Overwhelmed, amazed, excited, just so happy that the community, all the electorate, came out and supported me with such numbers.” So said Fine Gael’s Kevin Duffy, fresh from his election on the first count in the Kildare LEA.
The sitting councillor received 1,459 first preference votes and said he’s “excited for the five years ahead.”
The last count in Naas which shows just how close it is
14.40
Recount in Naas LEA! Requested by cllr Bob Quinn. Understand it would not be a full recount but a partial one of Caroline Hogan’s transfers
First count in the Kildare LEA
14.32
Suzanne Doyle (Fianna Fáil) and Kevin Duffy (Fine Gael) elected on first count in Kildare LEA. Cllr Doyle tops poll with 1667. Quota is 1382. Cllr Doyle’s surplus will now be distributed.
14.29
Cllr Bob Quinn is eliminated in Naas LEA, 12 votes behind Brian Larkin.
14.25
Naas count result incoming
14.03
It looks very tight in Naas between cllr Bob Quinn (Green Party) and Brian Larkin (Fianna Fáil) with Caroline Hogan’s transfers. Still waiting official news.
13.50
Our reporter Finian Coghlan has had a look at Kildare and Newbridge LEAs as we await a first count.
‘In Kildare both Kevin Duffy (FG) and Suzanne Doyle (FF) are expected to be elected on the first count, with the Senator’s brother Brian O’Loughlin (FF) expected to follow for the third seat.
Co-optee Paddy Curran (FG) looks in pole position for thee fourth in ths five-seater, but realistically, he will be looking anxiously over his shoulder as Pat Balfe (SD) and Shona Ni Rathallaigh (SF) will push hard to join this exclusive club.
In Newbridge, the top of the pile is equally predictable, wth the O’Dwyers – Tracey and Peggy (both FG)- both predicted to get elected on first count, substantially over an estimated quota of 1,615.
Chris Pender (SD) is comfy in third with double his 2019 vote, while fellow incumbents Noel Heavey and Rob Power (both FF) look safe enough for the fourth and fifth in this 6-seater.
However, the final seat here could be a battle royale among four disparate candidates – Melissa Byrne (Aontu), James Stokes (SF), Aina Conway (Lab), and Tom McDonnell are separated by less than 140 votes.’
Eight count in Naas LEA
13.26
Sinn Féin’s Caroline Hogan has been eliminated on count eight in Naas and her 881 votes will be crucial in deciding who fill out the last seat. Ger Dunne (Independent Ireland), cllr Bob Quinn (Green Party) and Brian Larkin (Fianna Fáil) are all within roughly a hundred votes of each other.
13.15
Fine Gael’s Evie Sammon on what the campaign trail was like following the birth of her daughter Clara last year.
“I was on maternity leave between 6-9 months last year but I worked consistently for the last five years and I think that’s what stood to me and I hope to do that again in the next five years.”
Adam Clear from Nurney is hard at work in Punchestown
13.10
There’s a politician in the making at the count centre in Punchestown!
Adam Clear (12) from Nurney has been tallying the 2s and 3s – yesterday he was tallying the 1s over in the Curragh.
Adam has been interested in politics since the 2020 general election and is “definitely” interested in getting involved in politics, “probably [as] a councillor.”
Watch this space!
The seventh count in Naas
12.25
Cllr Evie Sammon receives some flowers after being elected in the Naas LEA
12.23
Fine Gael’s Evie Sammon is elected in the Naas LEA and her surplus of 165 will now be distributed. Three seats, four to go.
12.00
Ger Brennan of Independent Ireland is “delighted” with his results so far which has him in the hunt for a seat in the Naas LEA
11.58
Cllr Evie Sammon (Fine Gael) is unsurprisingly doing very well in transfers from her party collage Ciara Dunne in the Naas LEA and will be likely elected in the next count. Great performance from the Ballymore Eustace woman
11.38
“It’s all to play for,” said Naas councillor Bob Quinn who is in a tough battle to retain his seat in Naas LEA but believes transfers could still push him over the line. Still only two elected in Naas.
The sixth count results in Naas LEA
11.34
Fine Gael’s Ciara Dunne, who has had an excellent campaign, is eliminated on count six with 857 votes in the Naas LEA. Independent Ireland’s Ger Dunne is the big winner on this count taking over half of the transfers. He jumps ahead of Brian Larkin of Fianna Fáil in the battle for a final seat.
11.03
Rupert Heather being congratulated after his win
Cheers erupted in the count centre as Rupert Heather (Labour) took the final seat in Celbridge.
Count 5 in Naas LEA
10.51am
The postal votes in Athy will be opened shortly, according to Returning Officer Eoghan Ryan.
10.47am
Irish People Party’s Avril Corcoran is eliminated on count 5 in the Naas LEA and her 560 votes will now be distributed.
10.32am
Count 6 in Celbridge has seen Daragh Toner (The Irish People) eliminated. Two candidates are vying for the final seat – Rupert Heather (Labour) and David Monaghan (Sinn Féin).
10.15am
Evangeline Ngozi Omini of Sinn Féin has been eliminated on count 4 and her 340 votes will be distributed
10.07am
And we’re off once more!
Counting has recommenced for Celbridge and started in Athy and Kildare. We’ll bring you the results throughout the day as they come in.
9.55am
An overview of where we left things last night
CELBRIDGE: 4 SEATS
Results Overview
NAAS: 7 SEATS
Results Overview
MAYNOOTH: 5 SEATS
Results Overview
CLANE: 5 SEATS
Results Overview
9.48am
We are back in Punchestown this morning with the Naas LEA about to resume counting. Athy LEA will also start shortly along with the Kildare LEA.
Counting in the Newbridge LEA will only start after Celbridge LEA has concluded while Leixlip will commence after Naas is finished. The Clane and Maynooth counts were completed late last night.
You can check out our updates from Saturday's count here or on our website
