Carlow-Kilkenny byelection: Bobby Aylward wins for Fianna Fáil

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has finally won a by-election at the seventh time of asking in a badly needed victory that has relieved pressure on his leadership position.

In the early hours of yesterday morning, party candidate Bobby Aylward took back the seat he lost in 2011, making the Carlow-Kilkenny win Fianna Fáil’s first by-election win in nearly two decades.

Mr Aylward, who had been firm favourite due to the constituency’s traditional Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael split and his family’s electoral standing dating back to the 1970s, topped the poll at the first count with 27.8% of first-preference votes.