SInn Féin pain is Fianna Fáil's gain in Cavan-Belturbet

A thrilling climax to the Cavan-Belturbet count saw Sinn Féin left without a single representative in the area - with sitting councillors Damien Brady and Daniel Downey having both lost their seats.
Fianna Fáil were the biggest winners claiming half of the seats available, and had the accolade of toping the poll with John Paul Feeley elected on the first count.
For Fine Gael it's as you were with Madeleine Argue and Peter McVitty retaining their seats. McVitty issued the greatest sigh of relief as the Fine Gael man attracted fractionally more than his Sinn Féin counterpart in both of the last two counts, leaving him with a lead of 53 to claim the final seat.

Count seven also saw Sean Smith (FF) elected, having been surprisingly dragged into the fight today despite his decent first preference count of 1,114 votes.

Above: Smith family in the count centre on Sunday.

Cavan Town's Patricia Walsh had been elected in the previous count, thanks to 213 transfers from Labour's Liam van der Spek bolstering her first preference vote of 1,060.
Earlier today Brendan Fay achieved a remarkable feat of coming from nowhere to being elected as an independent. The Belturbet publican was essentially a single issue candidate standing in opposition to the contentious plan to close St Mogue's in Bawnboy and St Bricin's in his hometown in favour of a new school in Ballyconnell. 
On the flip side Peter McVitty supported the Cavan Monaghan ETB move and acknowledged that his stance on the issue cost him votes, however he had enough to continue to advocate for the Ballyconnell college.
Compared to the excitement of those who got in on latter counts, outgoing cathaoirleach Madeleine Argue had a stress-free day. The Fine Gael stalwart received 1225 first preference votes and then proved incredibly transfer friendly, making consistent gains with each count, for example 55 transfers from Emmett Smith of (S-PBP).
Liam van der Spek performed well for Labour considering he was competing in a constituency in which they have never held a council seat. He exited the race with 761 votes having attained a respectable first preference vote of 591.
Another good campaigner was Emmett Smith who was pleased to have over doubled his vote count from the last General Election. Excluded after the fourth count, his showing will give him encouragement to continue contesting elections for Solidarity-People Before Profit.
First time candidate Daniel Downey was disappointed by his showing, with his 430 votes not enough to have any real hope of retaining the SF seat he was co-opted onto after Eugene Greenan resigned. Sean McKiernan (FG), whose natural electoral hunting ground is Bailieborough, was the first to fall receiving just 172 votes. 
While McKiernan was naturally disappointed by his performance, it will undoubtedly be Sinn Féin who will be left shell shocked by losing two seats in Cavan-Belturbet.