Story of the count: How Graiguecullen-Portarlington is unfolding

We will endeavour to keep the count of the Graiguecullen-Portarlington Municipal District covered in this particular piece.

In total, 11,229 votes were cast in this district from a total electorate of 22,233 for a turnout of 50.5%. The valid poll is 11,096 meaning the quota is 1,586.

This compares to 10,163 of a valid poll in 2019.

We will updated this piece after each count.

1st count result

Fianna Fáil’s Paschal McEvoy tops the poll with 1,402 votes. It is the first time in four election campaigns that McEvoy has achieved that feat.

Aidan Mullins (SF), Ben Brennan (Independent), Padraig Fleming (Fianna Fail), Aisling Moran (Independent) and PJ Kelly (Fine Gael) are all on course to be elected.

With no candidate having reached the quota, the lowest-placed candidate – Charlie Hackett from the Green Party – is eliminated and his votes will be distributed on the 2nd count.

• Quota: 1,586

1. Paschal McEvoy (FF) – 1,402
2. Aidan Mullins (SF) – 1,359
3. Ben Brennan (Ind) – 1,350
4. Padraig Fleming (FF) – 1,275
5.  Aisling Moran (Ind) – 1,142
6.  PJ Kelly (FG) – 997
7.  Vivienne Phelan (FG) – 806
8.  Aaron Kelly (SF) – 785
9.  Patsy Fennell (Ind Ire) – 683
10. Joey Kennedy (FF) – 578
11. Eoin Barry (Lab) – 506
12. Charlie Hackett (Green) – 214 – ELIMINATED after 1st count

2nd Count – Distribution of Charlie Hackett (Green) votes (214)

Eoin Barry (Labour) was the biggest beneficiary of the distribution of Charlie Hackett’s votes with just over 25% of the transferrable papers. But it wasn’t enough to lift him above the next lowest candidate and with nobody being elected, it means that Barry is now eliminated.

Fine Gael’s Vivienne Phelan and Fianna Fáil’s Joey Kennedy benefitted more than any other remaining candidate with 29 apiece.

Eoin Barry has now been eliminated and his votes will be distributed in the 3rd count.

• Quota: 1,586

1. Paschal McEvoy (FF) – 1,414 (+12)
2. Aidan Mullins (SF) – 1,371 (+12)
3. Ben Brennan (Ind) – 1,357 (+7) (+7)
4. Padraig Fleming (FF) – 1,287 (+12)
5.  Aisling Moran (Ind) – 1,156 (+14)
6.  PJ Kelly (FG) – 1,012 (+15)
7.  Vivienne Phelan (FG) – 835 (+29)
8.  Aaron Kelly (SF) – 796 (+11)
9.  Patsy Fennell (Ind Ire) – 690 (+8)
10.  Joey Kennedy (FF) – 607 (+29)
11. Eoin Barry (Lab) – 557 (+51) – ELIMINATED after 2nd count
12. Charlie Hackett (Green) – 214 – ELIMINATED after 1st count

Non transferrable – 14

3rd count – Distribution of Eoin Barry (Labour) votes (557)
Sunday, 9.15pm

With the elimination of Eoin Barry (Labour) a good chunk of his votes make their way to his neighbour and fellow Crettyard man Ben Brennan – which propels him to top spot.

Barry’s other neighbour Padraig Fleming also did well with 84 transfers as did Sinn Fein’s Aaron Kelly with 69 and Independent Aisling Moran with 64.

Vivienne Phelan has picked up more transfers than her FG colleague PJ Kelly to close the gap to 145 votes now. Kelly should make up some of that ground in the next count.

Again no candidate has reached the quota of 1,172 so the lowest candidate, Fianna Fáil’s Joey Kennedy, is now eliminated and his votes will be distributed in the fourth count.

• Quota: 1,586

1. Ben Brennan (Ind) – 1,492 (+135)
2. Paschal McEvoy (FF) – 1,427 (+13) 
3. Aidan Mullins (SF) – 1,394 (+23)
4. Padraig Fleming (FF) – 1,371 (+84)
5. Aisling Moran (Ind) – 1,220 (+64)
6.  PJ Kelly (FG) – 1,035 (+23)
7.  Vivienne Phelan (FG) – 890 (+55)
8.  Aaron Kelly (SF) – 865 (+69)
9.  Patsy Fennell (Ind Ire) – 708 (+18)
10.  Joey Kennedy (FF) – 625 (+18) – ELIMINATED after 3rd count
11. Eoin Barry (Lab) – 557 – ELIMINATED after 2nd count
12. Charlie Hackett (Green) – 214 – ELIMINATED after 1st count

4th count – Distribution of Joey Kennedy (Fianna Fail) votes (625)

The Portarlington votes of young Fianna Fail candidate Joey Kennedy have helped get his fellow Port man Aidan Mullins over the line.

More of Kennedy’s transfers stayed in the town of Portarlington rather than go to his Fianna Fail colleagues Paschal McEvoy and Padraig Fleming, albeit there being a considerable geographical advantage to Mullins.

Mullins now has a surplus of 11 votes but that’s not enough to either elect another candidate or lift a candidate at the bottom above another, so Independent Ireland’s Patsy Fennell is next to go.

• Quota: 1,586

1. Aidan Mullins (SF) – 1,597 (+203) – ELECTED after 4th count
2. Paschal McEvoy (FF) – 1,534 (+107) 
3. Ben Brennan (Ind) – 1,499 (+7)
4. Padraig Fleming (FF) – 1,433 (+62)
5. Aisling Moran (Ind) – 1,233 (+13)
6. PJ Kelly (FG) – 1,140 (+105)
7. Vivienne Phelan (FG) – 957 (+67)
8. Aaron Kelly (SF) – 869 (+4)
9.  Patsy Fennell (Ind Ire) – 722 (+14) – ELIMINATED after 4th count
10.  Joey Kennedy (FF) – 625 – ELIMINATED after 3rd count
11. Eoin Barry (Lab) – 557 – ELIMINATED after 2nd count
12. Charlie Hackett (Green) – 214 – ELIMINATED after 1st count

5th count – Distribution of Patsy Fennell (Independent Ireland) votes (722)

Independent candidate Ben Brennan (167) was the big beneficiary of the distribution of the votes of Patsy Fennell, the Timahoe man who ran for the new Independent Ireland party.

But 132 transfers also went to his fellow Timahoe man Paschal McEvoy. Both Brennan and McEvoy are now elected having exceeded the quota of 1,586.

Fine Gael’s Vivienne Phelan got 92 to close the gap by 68 to PJ Kelly. There are 115 votes between the two.

As Paschal McEvoy has the largest surplus, his 80 votes will be distributed.

• Quota: 1,586

1. Aidan Mullins (SF) – 1,597 – ELECTED after 4th count
2. Ben Brennan (Ind) – 1,666 (+167) – ELECTED after 5th count
3. Paschal McEvoy (FF) – 1,666 (+132) – ELECTED after 5th count
4. Padraig Fleming (FF) – 1,483 (+50)
5. Aisling Moran (Ind) – 1,335 (+102)
6. PJ Kelly (FG) – 1,164 (+24)
7. Vivienne Phelan (FG) – 1,049 (+92)
8. Aaron Kelly (SF) – 911 (+42)
9.  Patsy Fennell (Ind Ire) – 722 – ELIMINATED after 4th count
10.  Joey Kennedy (FF) – 625 – ELIMINATED after 3rd count
11. Eoin Barry (Lab) – 557 – ELIMINATED after 2nd count
12. Charlie Hackett (Green) – 214 – ELIMINATED after 1st count

6th count – Distribution of Paschal McEvoy votes (80)

Vivienne Phelan does best out of Paschal McEvoy’s transfers followed by Padraig Fleming.

Phelan has now closed the gap to PJ Kelly to just 88 votes. Sinn Fein’s Aaron Kelly will be the next candidate to be eliminated as Ben Brennan’s surplus of 80 votes won’t be sufficient to lift Kelly above Vivienne Phelan.

• Quota: 1,586

1. Aidan Mullins (SF) – 1,597 – ELECTED after 4th count
2. Ben Brennan (Ind) – 1,666 (+167) – ELECTED after 5th count
3. Paschal McEvoy (FF) – 1,666 – ELECTED after 5th count
4. Padraig Fleming (FF) – 1,511 (+28)
5. Aisling Moran (Ind) – 1,347 (+12)
6. PJ Kelly (FG) – 1,168 (+4)
7. Vivienne Phelan (FG) – 1,080 (+31)
8. Aaron Kelly (SF) – 916 (+5)
9.  Patsy Fennell (Ind Ire) – 722 – ELIMINATED after 4th count
10.  Joey Kennedy (FF) – 625 – ELIMINATED after 3rd count
11. Eoin Barry (Lab) – 557 – ELIMINATED after 2nd count
12. Charlie Hackett (Green) – 214 – ELIMINATED after 1st count

7th count – Distribution of Ben Brennan surplus (80) 

Ben Brennan’s surplus of 80 votes are next to come into play. Aisling Moran gets 70% of them while Vivienne Phelan closes the gap by another four. There are now 84 votes between Vivienne and PJ.

Again nobody extra has reached the quota so the next lowest – Aaron Kelly (Sinn Fein) – is eliminated and his votes will be distributed next.

• Quota: 1,586

1. Aidan Mullins (SF) – 1,597 – ELECTED after 4th count
2. Ben Brennan (Ind) – 1,666 – ELECTED after 5th count
3. Paschal McEvoy (FF) – 1,666 – ELECTED after 5th count
4. Padraig Fleming (FF) – 1,520 (+9)
5. Aisling Moran (Ind) – 1,401 (+54)
6. PJ Kelly (FG) – 1,171 (+3)
7. Vivienne Phelan (FG) – 1,087 (+7)
8. Aaron Kelly (SF) – 923 (+7) – ELIMINATED after 7th count
9.  Patsy Fennell (Ind Ire) – 722 – ELIMINATED after 4th count
10.  Joey Kennedy (FF) – 625 – ELIMINATED after 3rd count
11. Eoin Barry (Lab) – 557 – ELIMINATED after 2nd count
12. Charlie Hackett (Green) – 214 – ELIMINATED after 1st count

8th count – Distribution of Aaron Kelly votes (923) – 3.30pm, Monday

On a disappointing campaign for Sinn Fein overall, the performance of Aaron Kelly in Graiguecullen has been a relative success story.

Though not elected he ends with 923 votes and the distribution of those transfers help get Fianna Fail’s Padraig Fleming (188) and Aisling Moran (232) elected on the eighth count.

Even more crucially to the outcome is that Vivienne Phelan again fares better than PJ Kelly on transfers getting 88 compared to Kelly’s 26. The gap is now down to 22 votes so Padraig Fleming’s surplus of 122 will now be distributed.

• Quota: 1,586

1. Aidan Mullins (SF) – 1,597 – ELECTED on 4th count
2. Ben Brennan (Ind) – 1,666 – ELECTED on the 5th count
3. Paschal McEvoy (FF) – 1,666 – ELECTED on the 5th count
4. Padraig Fleming (FF) – 1,708 (+188) – ELECTED on the 8th count
5. Aisling Moran (Ind) – 1,633 (+232) – ELECTED on the 8th count
6. PJ Kelly (FG) – 1,197 (+26)
7. Vivienne Phelan (FG) – 1,175 (+88)
8. Aaron Kelly (SF) – 923 – ELIMINATED after 7th count
9.  Patsy Fennell (Ind Ire) – 722 – ELIMINATED after 4th count
10.  Joey Kennedy (FF) – 625 – ELIMINATED after 3rd count
11. Eoin Barry (Lab) – 557 – ELIMINATED after 2nd count
12. Charlie Hackett (Green) – 214 – ELIMINATED after 1st count

9th count – Distribution of Padraig Fleming (Fianna Fail) surplus (122) – 4.50pm, Monday

And the gap closes again. Just two votes separate them as Vivienne Phelan’s comeback continues with 49 transfers from Padraig Fleming compared to 29 for PJ Kelly.

They are the only two candidates left for the sixth and final seat. The battle goes on. It’s now on to Aisling Moran’s surplus of 47 votes. Moran is a former Fine Gael colleague of the two.

If Moran’s surplus doesn’t decide it, it will be back to Aidan Mullins surplus of 11. The prospect of a recount remains on the cards too.

• Quota: 1,586

1. Aidan Mullins (SF) – 1,597 – ELECTED on 4th count
2. Ben Brennan (Ind) – 1,666 – ELECTED on the 5th count
3. Paschal McEvoy (FF) – 1,666 – ELECTED on the 5th count
4. Padraig Fleming (FF) – 1,708 – ELECTED on the 8th count
5. Aisling Moran (Ind) – 1,633 – ELECTED on the 8th count
6. PJ Kelly (FG) – 1,226 (+29)
7. Vivienne Phelan (FG) – 1,224 (+49)
8. Aaron Kelly (SF) – 923 – ELIMINATED after 7th count
9.  Patsy Fennell (Ind Ire) – 722 – ELIMINATED after 4th count
10. Joey Kennedy (FF) – 625 – ELIMINATED after 3rd count
11. Eoin Barry (Lab) – 557 – ELIMINATED after 2nd count
12. Charlie Hackett (Green) – 214 – ELIMINATED after 1st count

10th count – Distribution of Aisling Moran (Independent) surplus (47)

Vivienne Phelan’s incredible comeback is completed. Having been 191 votes behind her Fine Gael running mate PJ Kelly after the 1st count, she eventually finishes 17 votes clear and is elected after the 10th count.

Initially there was a bit of confusion on Aisling Moran’s transfers but after a recount, the result remains the same and Phelan is elected.

The full list of candidates elected in this area is: Aidan Mullins (Sinn Fein), Ben Brennan (Independent), Paschal McEvoy (Fianna Fail), Padraig Fleming (Fianna Fail), Aisling Moran (Independent) and Vivienne Phelan (Fine Gael).

SEE ALSO – Check out all our 2024 Local Election coverage here