There is a gripping battle in store in the Graiguecullen-Portarlington Municipal District for the final seat between Fine Gael running mates PJ Kelly and Vivienne Phelan.
PJ Kelly from Ballybrittas, who was co-opted to replace Tom Mulhall in 2021, initially polled 997 votes to be in sixth position after the first count.
The Stradbally-based Phelan, in her second campaign having missed out in 2019, was on 806 – 191 votes behind.
But bit by bit she has closed the gap and following the distribution of the votes of Graiguecullen Sinn Fein candidate Aaron Kelly, there is now just 22 between them.
Padraig Fleming and Aisling Moran have joined Paschal McEvoy and Ben Brennan in being elected – so they are now distributing Fleming’s surplus of 122 votes, which he achieved after being elected on the eighth count following the distribution of Aaron Kelly’s votes.
1st Count
- PJ Kelly (Fine Gael) – 997
- Vivienne Phelan (Fine Gael) 806
2nd Count – Distribution of Charlie Hackett (Green) votes (214)
- PJ Kelly (Fine Gael) – 1,012 (+15)
- Vivienne Phelan (Fine Gael) – 835 (+29)
3rd Count – Distribution of Eoin Barry (Labour) votes (557)
- PJ Kelly (Fine Gael) – 1,035 (+23)
- Vivienne Phelan (Fine Gael) – 890 (+55)
4th Count – Distribution of Joey Kennedy (Fianna Fail) votes (625)
- PJ Kelly (Fine Gael) – 1,140 (+105)
- Vivienne Phelan (Fine Gael) – 957 (+67)
5th Count – Distribution of Patsy Fennell (Indepdent Ireland) votes (722)
- PJ Kelly (Fine Gael) – 1,164 (+24)
- Vivienne Phelan (Fine Gael) – 1,049 (+92)
6th Count – Distribution of Paschal McEvoy (Fianna Fail) surplus (80)
- PJ Kelly (Fine Gael) – 1,168 (+4)
- Vivienne Phelan (Fine Gael) – 1,080 (+31)
7th Count – Distribution of Ben Brennan (Independent) surplus (80)
- PJ Kelly (Fine Gael) – 1,171 (+3)
- Vivienne Phelan (Fine Gael) – 1,087 (+7)
8th Count – Distribution of Aaron Kelly (Sinn Fein) votes (923)
- PJ Kelly (Fine Gael) – 1,197 (+26)
- Vivienne Phelan (Fine Gael) – 1,175 (+88)
9th Count – Distribution of Padraig Fleming (Fianna Fail) surplus (122)
- PJ Kelly (Fine Gael) – 1,226 (+29)
- Vivienne Phelan (Fine Gael) – 1,224 (+49)
How the gap has closed
- 1st count: 191 votes
- 2nd count: 177 votes – distribution of Charlie Hackett (Green) votes
- 3rd count: 170 votes – distribution of Eoin Barry (Labour) votes
- 4th count: 183 votes – distribution of Joey Kennedy (Fianna Fail) votes)
- 5th count: 115 votes – distribution of Patsy Fennell (Independent Ireland) votes
- 6th count: 88 votes – distribution of Paschal McEvoy (Fianna Fail) surplus
- 7th count: 84 votes – distribution of Ben Brennan (Independent) surplus
- 8th count: 22 votes – distribution of Aaron Kelly (Sinn Fein) votes
- 9th count: 2 votes – distribution of Padraig Fleming (Fianna Fáil) surplus
SEE ALSO – Check out all our 2024 Local Election coverage here
