Buns, boots, and a blast from the past in Cork count centre

It was all about the ballots early in the morning as weary count staff wrestled their way through just over 657,000, 16.5in ballot papers in the Ireland South count centre yesterday.

Once the formality of Brian Crowley’s election was out of the way at lunchtime, the attention turned to Liadh Ní Riada’s long wait for her seat, and the intriguing race between Fine Gael’s southern threesome — MEP Seán Kelly, Senator Deirdre Clune and Deputy Simon Harris — for seats.

Jan Van De Ven cut a dash with his cowboy boots. Diarmuid O’Flynn paced the floor, clocking up more miles than he’s done marching in Ballyhea in the last few years.