BREAKING: Emotional Joe Pond elected to Limerick City East on second count

COUNCILLOR Joe Pond has kept a hold of his seat on Limerick City and County Council following his election in the second count for Limerick City East.

The councillor travelled down from Donegalwhere he was attending his nephew’s wedding, to hear the re-election news in-person.

Cllr Pond said “he is over the moon, why wouldn’t I be?” as he was elected this Sunday, just before midday. 

“This is my third election to fight, I lost the previous two and I’m here elected on the second count,” he said upon hearing the news.

“My nephew is getting married in Donegal – we went up on Friday and were above yesterday but got a call to come down yesterday evening and we are here this morning, so it’s great!”

The Fianna Fail councillor got a healthy amount of transfer votes, 65, from party colleague and poll-topper, Cllr Catherine Slattery. 

Cllr Pond just missed the quota by 19 votes, as he got 1,589 in the first count. 

Cllr Pond replaced the late Jerry O’Dea, who passed away in 2022. He was not directly elected in the 2019 elections, but was chosen by his party Fianna Fail to take the seat.