WHERE WE ARE NOW: Counts complete in Castlebar and Claremorris

Castlebar

After a mammoth count which went through the night, Independent candidate Harry Barrett has returned to local politics after he was elected in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The count in Castlebar only ended at 8am which saw Barrett claim a seat at the expense of Fianna Fáil councillor Martin McLoughlin who lost his seat with Fine Gael councillor Donna Sheridan holding off Independent Stephen Kerr for the seventh and final seat.

Earlier, Independent councillor Michael Kilcoyne and Fine Gael's Ger Deere were returned to Mayo County Council after exceeding the quota on the first count. With 19 candidates in the field, there was a number of counts through the night before incumbant councillors Al McDonnell (FF), Blackie Gavin (FF), Cyril Burke (FG) were elected and later joined by Barrett, who was a former Labour town councillor in Castlebar and Sheridan.

Claremorris 

Aontú have won their first seat on Mayo County Council with Knock-based candidate Paul Lawless taking the final seat in the Claremorris Electoral Area at the expense of Claremorris-based Fine Gael councillor Tom Connolly.

Robeen-based former Fine Gael councillor, Patsy O'Brien topped the poll as an Independent winning a seat after exceeding the quota on the first count. He was joined later in the count by fellow Independent, Richard Finn and by first time Fine Gael candidate Alma Gallagher who claimed the seat in Ballyhaunis by party colleague John Cribbin who retired after 25 years in local politics.

The final two seats were won by Ballinrobe-based candidates Michael Burke (FG) and Fianna Fáil's Damien Ryan who were returned to Mayo County Council.

Belmullet

Counting in Belmullet is due to begin at 10am in the Ruby Room of the TF Royal in Castlebar and if the tallies are to be believed there will be no change with the three sitting councillors expected to be elected. Gerry Coyle (FG) and Achill councillor Paul McNamara will head the poll while Belmullet-based Fianna Fáil councillor Seán Carey looks like he has enough votes to hold off the challenge of Sinn Féin candidate Rosaleen Lally and Pat Chambers (FG). The results of the first count should be around lunchtime.

Swinford

The official count for the Swinford Electoral Area is expected to begin at 2pm this afternoon but with the boxes all tallied, only a handful of votes are expected to separate Fianna Fáil's Aiden Forkan and Sinn Féin's Gerry Murray who are both tallying at 20 percent.

They are followed by Fianna Fáil's John Caulfield and Fine Gael's Neil Cruise who are both coming in at 18 percent and closely followed by Swinford-based Sinn Féin candidate John Sheahan on 17 percent and Fine Gael first-time candidate Antionette Peyton on 11. Just four seats are up for grabs and with just 92 votes separating Caulfield, Cruise and Sheahan in the tallies, this contest is set to go down to the wire. 

Ballina 

Counting in Ballina is not expected to begin until later this afternoon but sitting councillors Mark Duffy (Ind) and John O'Hara (FG) look set to battle it out to top the poll with tallies putting them on 18 and 16 percent of the vote respectively. Fianna Fáil newcomer David Alexander is also showing strongly with 8 percent and sitting Cathaoirleach Michael Loftus (FF) is on 11.9.

Independent Joe Faughnan who hopes to capture Seamus Weir's seat in Knockmore is on 10 percent followed by long-standing Fianna Fáíl councillor Annie May Reape on 9.1 while sitting Fine Gael councillor Jarlath Munnelly is struggling on 7.8. Alexander had a particular strong showing in both Killala NS boxes attracting 184 first preference votes in two boxes.

There are six seats on offer. Sinn Féin are highly unlikely to take a seat with their two candidates Una Morris and Antonio Caffola attracting less than 6 percent of the tally vote between them.

Westport

The official count will begin later this evening but tallies show that Independent Ireland candidate Chris Maxwell is expected to top the poll and win a seat on Mayo County Counci.

Fine Gael councillor Peter Flynn is expected to follow him on the council but there will be a battle royal for the final two seats with sitting councillors Brendan Mulroy (FF), Christy Hyland (Ind) and John O'Malley (Ind) along with first time candidate Keira Keogh (FG) all in contention. 

If tallies are correct, Mulroy and O'Malley are on 14 percent each are both slightly ahead of Hyland and Keogh who are both on 13 percent with just 160 votes separating the four candidates.