Local Elections 2024 Louth: A quick re-cap before counting resumes on Day Two

A quick recap for you all after a bleary eyed sleep.

We have three councillors re-elected to Louth County Council, Labour’s Michelle Hall, Fianna Fáil’s Sean Kelly and Antoín Watters of Sinn Féin, all of whom were returned after surpassing their quotas in Drogheda Rural and the later two in Dundalk Carlingford.

Counting adjourned just before 1AM and will resume at 9AM in Louth County Hall, where we await the first counts, in Dundalk South, Ardee and Drogheda Urban.

Dundalk South has to elect the largest number of councillors, seven. Ardee is very tight among the leading six candidates for six seats and Drogheda Urban has the largest field with 20 candidates.

All that tell us, we are in for another long day.

To summarise the day and the tallies, Fine Gael are upbeat and could win a seat in Drogheda Urban, Fianna Fáil are like the curate’s egg, good in parts, with first-time candidate Shane McGuinness well-placed in Dundalk South along with Cllr Emma Coffey and Sean Kelly having topped the poll in Dundalk Carlingford, but they made little impression in Ardee and Drogheda remains difficult ground for them.

Drogheda is Labour’s heartland and they topped the poll with Michelle Hall and Pio Smith tallied well in Drogheda Urban. They are likely to increase their party share of the vote, thanks to a candidate each in Ardee and Dundalk Carlingford.

Sinn Féin’s ambitious candidate strategy didn’t work and while they may make wins in the north of the county, they may lose out in Ardee. Antoin Watters was always going to be a poll topper and would have fared better, but the party strategy of fielding four candidates, which might yet see a running mate join him across the line..

The Green Party might hold onto Marianne Butler’s seat in Dundalk South, but they made little impression elsewhere. Aontú didn’t figure.

Tracy O’Hanlon of the Irish Freedom Party polled very well in Dundalk Carlingford, while independent Ciaran Fisher also did well in that LEA.

No doubt there will be a surprise or two in store as the day progresses.

01.41AM – Last post of a very, very long day

Fianna Fail’s Sean Kelly has been re-elected to Louth County Council following the first count in Dundalk Carlingford, with 1828 votes, exceeding the quota by 369. Sinn Féin’s Antóin Watters also exceeded the quota and his surplus will follow on the third count after a full count of Kelly’s votes for re-disbribution.

All counting now adjourned until 9am this morning.

LEA – Dundalk Carlingford

Electorate – 20039

Total Poll – 10389

Spoiled invalid votes – 180

Total valid poll – 10209

Quota – 1459

Number of seats – 6

Dundalk Carlingford (6 seats)

Kathleen Byrne (SF) – 595

Gerard Crawley (Green Party) – 289

Ciarán Fisher (Ind) – 688

Conor Keelan (FF)* – 791

Yvonne Keenan (FG) – 402

Seán Kelly (FF)* – 1828 (Elected, surplus 369)

Andrea McKevitt (FF)* – 821

Fiona Mhic Conchoille (SF) – 507

Seán Ó Broin (SF) – 448

Tracy O’Hanlon (Irish Freedom Party) – 588

Jamie O’Hare (Labour Party) – 473

Liam Reichenberg (Aontú) – 229

John Reilly (FG)* – 831

Antóin Watters (SF)* – 1723 (Elected)

12.05am – first count declaration in Drogheda Rural

At 11.40 p.m., Michelle Hall (Labour) was the first candidate elected to the incoming Louth County Council, having exceeded the quota.

The Drogheda Rural count has been suspended and will resume at 9am, starting with the distribution of her surplus of 145 votes.

LEA – Drogheda Rural – 1st count

Electorate – 14133; Total Poll – 6532; Spoiled invalid votes 122; Total valid poll – 6401; Quota – 1281; Number of seats – 4

• Marian Argios (FG) 105
• Tom Cunningham (SF)* 646
• Eric Donovan (SF) 721
• Anne-Marie Ford (FG) 1062
• Frank Godfrey (Ind) 325
• Michelle Hall (Labour Party)* 1426 (elected)
• Patrice Johnson (Irish Freedom Party) 343
• Mick Martin (Ind) 167
• Derek McElearney (The Irish People) 81
• Anthony Murphy (Green Party) 239
• Declan Power (Ind)* 858
• Tomás Wilkinson (FF) 428

*Denotes outgoing councillor

11.05 p.m. – All quiet here in Louth.

Seconds of hushed silence sweep the count centre before fading into another dull murmur of disappointment as the Returning Officer stays away from the microphone.

We are expecting a first count in Drogheda Rural anytime but we’ve been saying that since before 9pm.

The plan was to wrap up at 11pm but that deadline looks to be slipping by too.

9.25pm – No first vote In Louth as yet, doubtful ballots have been examined in Drogheda Rural which is the first to be announced.

Meanwhile wi-fi connection is down at the centre and everyone is scrambling to connect to personal hotspots were possible.

8.25 p.m. – Counting is continuing in County Hall where a first count is expected around 9pm, when most likely the results of the Drogheda Rural LEA, which had the smallest number of candidates, will be announced. There are no big surprises at this stage although the analysis has already got under way on whether Sinn Féin’s strategy of running so many candidates may have backfired. Fine Gael are pleased that their candidates have polled so well while Fianna Fail can take comfort in the fact that they have held their vote.

6.10 p.m. – Counting is now underway in Louth County Hall with the plan to declare a first count in all five LEAs this evening and to continue counting until 11pm approximately, before resuming in the morning.

So to recap the tally was completed earlier this afternoon

Dundalk Carlingford (6 seats): Sean Kelly 18% and Antoin Watters 17% are well ahead of the remaining candidates and the only candidates with double figure tally percentage.

Fianna Fáil won three seats here last time out and still have a chance of repeating that, while Sinn Féin’s strategy of running four candidates might prove costly. Tracy O’Hanlon of the Irish Freedom Party polled 5.7%, 582 votes and that will have done Sinn Féin damage as she polled well in the centre of town.

Antoin Watters, will have gotten votes from non-traditional Sinn Féin supporters so his transfers may scatter wider than his running mates.

Fine Gael, hadn’t a Dundalk town based candidate this time out and lost 10% of their 2019 vote when Senator John McGahon was elected. However they are pleased to have Cllr John Reilly, who was co-opted poll so well.

First time candidate Ciaran Fisher polled well on 6.7% and the independent candidate could be the mix for a seat.

The final tally for Dundalk Carlingford leaves Antoin Watters (SF) neck and neck with Sean Kelly (FF) followed by Andrea McKevitt (FF), John Reilly (FG), Conor Keelan (FF) and Ciaran Fisher (Ind).

Dundalk South (7 seats): Maeve Yore (Ind) looks like she will top the poll in consecutive elections, with over 2,000 votes or 17.8% according to the tally.

Fine Gael will be delighted that their co-opted councillor Robert Nash polled to well at 10.7%, while Fianna Fáíl newcomer Shane McGuinness 8.9% looks like he may return a Blackrock village councillor to the new council.

Sinn Féin were aggressive here with another four candidate strategy and while they may be disappointed it should bring home a second candidate along with Kevin Meenan on 8.1%, the other three on 5.9%, 5.3% and 4.8%.

Fianna Fáíl Clllr Emma Coffey polled 9.4% and Cllr Marianne Butler on 6.5% should benefit from transfers.

The seven who occupy the top seven in order Cllr. Maeve Yore (Ind), Cllr. Robbie Nash (FG), Shane McGuinness (FF), Cllr. Emma Coffey (FF), Cllr. Kevin Meenan (SF), Sionnan McCann (SF) and Cllr. Marianne Butler (FG).

Drogheda Urban (6 seats): Incumbent councillors did well in Drogheda Urban and five may return and they are led by Pio Smith (Lab) on 13.2% and range down to Paddy McQuillan on 8.3%.

Only co-opted councillor Emma Cutlip looks likely to lose her seat as she is on 3%.

The final seat looks likely to be a Fine Gael gain, with either Ejrio O’Hare Stratton (FG) on 6.9% or Shona McManus on 6.3% poised to take a gain for the party.

In order of tallies, Cllr. Pio Smith (Lab), Cllr. Kevin Callan (Ind) , Cllr. Joanna Byrne (SF), Cllr. James Byrne (FF), Cllr. Paddy McQuillan (Ind), Cllr. Ejrio O’Hare Stratton (FG).

Drogheda Rural (4 seats): Outgoing Cllr Michelle Hall (Lab) had the highest percentage tally in Louth at 22%.

Fine Gael newcomer, AnnMarie Ford performed really strongly on 16.7%, with former running mate, Marian Agrios having dropped out amid controversy.

Cllr Declan Power who was co-opted following the 2019 election in place of Cllr Kevin Callan who won a seat in both Drogheda Urban and Drogheda Rural looks certain to retain his seat on 13.4%

Sinn Féin split their vote well between established Councillor Tom Cunningham 10.2% and newcomer Eric Donovan. 11.2%, is that enough to get both get elected?

Cllr. Michelle Hall (Lab), AnnMarie Ford (FG), Cllr. Declan Power (Ind), Eric Donovan (SF), Cllr. Tom Cunningham (SF)

Ardee (4 seats): Very tightly packed field after the tally with six candidates spread between 9.6% and 12.% with six to be elected.

Cllr Bernie Conlon (Ind) has 8.3% in the tally and with a number of Ardee candidates below her which should favour Tenanty, Minogue and Kerley, she may struggle to break into the top six placings.

In order they are Cllr. Paula Butterly (FG), Cllr. John Sheridan (FF), Cllr. Pearse McGeough (SF), Cllr. Jim Tenanty (Ind), Cllr. Dolores Minogue (FG), Cllr. Rachel Kerley (FG).

3 p.m. – The final tally for Dundalk Carlingford is just in and sees Antoin Watters (SF) neck and neck with Sean Kelly (FF) followed by Andrea McKevitt (FF), John Reilly (FG), Conor Keelan (FF) and Ciaran Fisher (Ind).

The Dundalk South (7 seats) tally is still to be formally finished, but the following seven occupy the top seven spots: Maeve Yore (Ind), Robbie Nash (FG), Shane McGuinness (FF), Emma Coffey (FF), Kevin Meenan (SF), Sionnan McCann (SF) and Marianne Butler (FG).

The tally for Drogheda Urban (6 seats) is not finalised but, as it stands, sees Pio Smith (Lab) ahead followed by Kevin Callan (Ind), Joanna Byrne (SF), James Byrne (FF), Paddy McQuillan (Ind), Ejrio O’Hare Stratton (FG)

Likewise, the tally for Drogheda Rural (4 seats) is continuing but, as it currently stands, Michelle Hall (Lab) is ahead of AnnMarie Ford (FG), Declan Power (Ind), Eric Donovan (SF) and Tom Cunningham (SF).

The Ardee (6 seats) tally is also not finalised but at the minute, the order is Paula Butterly (FG), John Sheridan (FF), Pearse McGeough (SF), Jim Tenanty (Ind), Dolores Minogue (FG), Rachel Kerley (FG).

10.46 a.m. – Sitting councillors Jim Tenanty (ind) and Dolores Mingoue (FG) are polling well in Ardee with 12 of the 36 boxes open. Tenanty is on 18% with Minogue 15.7%.

The boxes are mainly Ardee town with former Fianna Fail councillor, Fintan Malone now running as an independent on 10.6%.

Dunleer based, Bernadette Conlon (Ind) is also doing fairly well on 10.77%.

Outgoing councillors John Sheridan (SF) and Pearse McGeough (SF) are both on 5%.

10.44 a.m. – 15 of 38 boxes in Dundalk Carlingford are now tallied and it is Antoin Watters (SF) leading the way on 17.45%.

The outgoing councillor was expected to top the poll and is looking like he will deliver.

Fianna Fail took three of the six seats last time out in 2019 and Sean Kelly is their leading man to date this morning on 12.81%, with Andrea McKevitt on 9.8%.

Fine Gael’s John Reilly, who was co-opted in place of Senator John McGahon, is on 11%.

10.40 a.m. – We are approaching 60% of the boxes open in Drogheda Rural.

There are encouraging signs for Sinn Fein’s two candidates. Cllr Tom Cunningham has 11.5% and 436 votes, while running mate Eric Donovan is on 9.815 or 370 votes.

Labour’s outgoing Cllr Michelle Hall however is leading the way on 22.4%.

Fine Gael’s Anne Marie Ford has polled well in her first outing and is on 17.24%.

Outgoing independent Cllr. Declan Power is on 13% and Fianna Fail’s Tomás Wilkinson is on 5.9%.

Finally, Fine Gael’s Marian Agrios who withdrew from the campaign over 10 days ago following revelations over payments from developers in relation to planning matters is tallying at just 1.5%.

9.55 a.m. – Tally well underway in Louth with the first estimate expected shortly. There is a big crowd in Colaiste Chú Chulainn in Dundalk with a huge team of volunteers looking after the tally.

A quick recap there are 29 council seats to fill and 77 candidates in total.

9 a.m. – Work is just underway at Colaiste Chú Chulainn where the ballot boxes for the Local and European elections are being opened and separated.

There is tally team in place from across the political parties and we are hopeful of getting an accurate tally for the Local Elections as the boxes are opened.

The European Election ballot papers will be validated before they are transported to the count centre in Castlebar, County Mayo.

The Local Election ballot papers however will be counted in County Hall for all five local electoral areas and counting is expected to start late this afternoon.

The process here in Colaiste Chu Chulainn will be methodical and deliberate to ensure accurracy and one reason for long morning ahead is the physical size of the large ballot papers, which anyone who voted yesterday will have seen for themselves first hand.