Day two of local election Count to begin

The second count in each of the three electoral areas in County Cavan got underway in Co Cavan at 10am this morning.

Count staff are currently just getting organised, after a late night that ended with the first count results announced 

In total, and just before midnight on Saturday, four out of the 18 seats available were filled - two by Fianna Fáil, one Fine Gael and one Aontú.

They were by Aontú's Sarah O'Reilly from Bailieborough (1,704); Fine Gael's Trevor Smith (1,826) and Fianna Fail's Shane P O'Reilly (1,703) in the Ballyjamesduff area; and finally Blacklion's John Paul Feeley (FF) (1,414) in Cavan Belturbet.

Sarah O'Reilly, who defected from Fianna Fail based on her former party's stance in the abortion referendum, not only took the first seat for in Cavan, but the first seat for her party nationally at local level.

She got a similar vote to former county councillor, Niamh Smyth TD, on to whose seat she was coopted after Deputy Smyth won a seat in Dail Eireann in the 2016 General election.

Also from Bailieborough, in 2014, Smyth got 1,886 first preferences in the local election.

Aontú leader Peadar Toibin visited the Cavan Count centre on Saturday evening and, while Sarah O'Reilly remained coy a possible General Election run, her party leader ambitiously put mainstream parties "on notice" that his fledgling collective would be willing and ready to contest the next general election when it is called.

Labour’s Mary Roche has now been eliminated in that area, and her transfers will be distributed once counting recommences.

It was an evening of high emotion elsewhere too. Trevor Smith takes the seat left vacant by his father Paddy Smith, who retired from the Council after 15 years, his first preference total well ahead of the quota of 1,611.

His surplus will be redistributed once counting resumes.

Shane P O'Reilly, meanwhile, celebrated his birthday with a welcome return to the council. The birthday boy retained his place as an elected member on the council by securing 1,703.

Fianna Fáil's John Paul Feeley finally, secured 1,414 ahead of the quota of 1,345, and quickly moved to warmly embrace his mother Patsy.

It was a poignant moment for the Blacklion representative, whose father Eddie passed away October 2016. Eddie Feeley, who served on the Council himself for more than two decades, had been present when his son was elected in 2014. 

The 2019 result is the first time a Feeley has topped the poll in the LEA, an achievement all the more remarkable when considering that John Paul Feeley is effectively located on the rural extremity of a stretched constituency.

Sean McKiernan is the first candidate to be culled in Cavan-Belturbet, and his 172 votes will be redistributed in count two.

The other big stories to emerge from Saturday's count is that all four of Sinn Fein's seats on the Council are in danger.

Having ran two candidates in each of the three electoral areas, the first time such a strategy has been attempted by the party locally, it seems to have split the Sinn Fein vote too evenly.

Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin TD visited the count centre, and remained optimistic that his party may yet secure one if not two seats on the council in Damien Brady in Ballyconnell (718) and Bailieborough's Paddy McDonald (772). The latter is however is just a small handful of votes behind running mate Bridget Boyle (781).

In the Ballyjamesduff area, support for Sinn Féin vote has seemingly gone off a cliff edge, dropping in case 2014 poll topping Noel Connell from a high of 1753 to just 804 in the latest ballot.

Other shocks to emerge include a strong poll for Independent candidate Brendan Fay from Belturbet on , who at this still early stage looks on course to take a council seat.

However, transfers still must be kind to this first time candidate and popular publican, who stood on a platform against plans to close two schools, St Mogue’s in Bawnboy and St Bricin’s in Belturbet, in favour of a new school in Ballyconnell Town.

One potential casualty from that is Fine Gael's Peter McVItty from Ballyconnell, on 945, who according to tally figures from boxes is down in voter numbers across the board in both the Belturbet and Bawnboy areas.

Others in with a chance to taking a seat in Bailieborough-Cootehill are Val Smith from Lavey on 1150, and Cootehill’s Carmel Brady (FG) on 1021. while Francis McDermott (FF) from Shercock is next in line on 929, and Aidan Fitzpatrick (FF) on 905. Gerry Murray (FF) is on 785 votes.

in Ballyjamesduff, TP O’Reilly (FG) from Virginia on 1576, Winston Bennett (FG) from Ballinagh on 1497, Philip ‘the Gunner’ Brady (FF) on 1328, and Craig Lovett (FF) on 1290.

Lovett missed out on a seat to fellow party member Shane P O’Reilly in 2014 by in the region of 45 votes.

Finally, in Cavan-Belturbet, outgoing Cathaoirleach Madeleine Argue (FG) looks set to return, sitting on 1225, as does Sean Smith (FF) on 1114, and former Cavan Urban Councillor Patricia Walsh, who failed to get a seat in 2014, on 1060.

Check out our live blog across the weekend to keep up to date with the latest count results:

https://www.anglocelt.ie/news/roundup/articles/2019/05/26/4174702-live-election-blog-2019-day-2/