Baby & son elected amid ‘revolution’ – 5 late takeaways

More than half of the 949 council seats are filled, and we expect to have the first of 14 MEPs elected in the European elections later tonight.

As the story of Election 2024 continues to unfold, here are five more takeaways:

1. New nationalist councillor claims ‘revolution’

Shortly after 4.30pm, Independent candidate Malachy Steenson was elected to Dublin City Council in the North Inner City ward.

Formerly a Workers’ Party activist, Mr Steenson was endorsed by candidates from the National Party and regularly re-posts online content espousing a strong anti-immigration message.

Speaking after his election he was critical of RTÉ.

In response to questions from an RTÉ reporter, he said it was not an impartial broadcaster.

He added that his election “sends a very clear message, that the revolution has begun”.

Mr Steenson said: “I think it’s a fabulous result for the nationalist movement in Ireland and a fabulous result for the people of Ireland.

“We’re taking our nation back. Every policy we’ve made has been accepted by the Government. That’s why they held up their votes in this election.”

“They said exactly what we said but it’s funny, they’re not being called racists or fascists unlike us,” he added.

Elsewhere, Independent candidate Gavin Pepper has been elected tonight in the 11th count in the Ballymun-Finglas electoral area.

He regularly attends protests against migrant accommodation.

In Artane-Whitehall, Independent Kevin Coyle is also in with a shout of taking one of the six seats.

He campaigned on an anti-immigration platform.

Glen Moore of the Irish Freedom Pary is sitting in third place after the first count in the five seat Palmerstown-Fonthill local electoral area in South Dublin County Council.

He is also well poised to take a seat.

2. Baby and son elected

Shortly before 6pm, Britto Pereppadan was elected for Fine Gael in the Tallaght Central electoral area.

His election came a few hours after his father, Baby Pereppadan, was elected in Tallaght South.

Britto was elected in the ninth count with 1,542 votes and his father Baby was elected in the fifth count in the adjacent electoral area with 1,172 votes.

3. Siblings elected for different parties

A brother and sister have been elected for different parties at opposite ends of the country.

In Sligo, Nessa Cosgrove made a breakthrough for the Labour Party after she as elected on the 10th count in the Sligo-Strandhill area. Labour had no seats on the 18 seat council in 2019.

Ms Cosgrove’s family are celebrating on the double this evening.

At the other end of the country, her brother Shane O’Callaghan topped the poll in the Cork South Central ward, winning a seat for Fine Gael on the first count.

4. Recounts now in progress

Nearing the end of the second evening of counting, recounts are now in progress in a number local electoral areas.

In Dublin, a full re-count has commenced for the Swords local electoral area in Fingal County Council.

Elsewhere, in Cavan, a full recount of the votes received by the two lowest candidates in the Bailieborough-Cootehill electoral area is taking place.

Independent Ireland’s Kristopher Shekelton and non-party Garry Cosgrove are both now on 727 votes.

The recount of the two candidates will decide which of them is eliminated next.

A recount has been granted in Limerick City West following a request from Fine Gael candidate Michael MacCurtain. Just seven votes separated the last two remaining candidates – Mr McCurtain and Independent Ireland’s Esther Aherne.

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FG and FF continue to battle it out as almost 600 seats filled

In Galway, a recount of Athenry-Oranmore electoral area is underway after it was requested by Fine Gael’s Eoghan Gallagher.

He missed out on a seat by just 19 votes when Sinn Féin candidate Louis O’Hara and Fianna Fáil’s Cillian Keane were deemed elected after the 10th count.

In Wicklow, Anthony Hill of Sinn Féin has requested a recheck of votes, after the seventh count showed just a handful of votes between him and Independent John Larkin.

Mr Hill had 958 votes, while Mr Larkin was slightly ahead with 966.

At around 7.30pm, the Returning Officer said the recheck will be carried out and it is believed this process could take up to two hours.

In the South East, Wexford County Council has announced that following a request for a recount by Cyril Wheelock, which was granted.

The Enniscorthy local electoral area count has been suspended and will recommence at 10am tomorrow morning.

In Longford County Council election, a recount has just started in the Ballymahon local electoral area.

5. Longest-serving female councillor wins 10th election

First elected back in 1974, the country’s longest-serving female councillor has been re-elected 50 years later.

Fine Gael councillor Mary Hilda Cavanagh was re-elected to Kilkenny County Council with 1,865 votes in the first count in the Castlecomer local electoral area.

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Asked for the secret of her long-lasting success, she told RTÉ: “I think hard work, commitment, dedication, being available at all times to my constituents, and the kindness of my electorate. I’m really humbled by the size of my vote.”

She said she was “relieved” to have been elected to the council for the 10th time, and said that she was never discriminated against because of being a woman, during her career.

“Not really, no, I was always treated fairly by my fellow-councillors at all times,” she said.