'People are ready for a change': Holly Cairns elected in Cork South West

Holly Cairns of the Social Democrats was elected on the eighth count.

Holly Cairns of the Social Democrats threw the form book out the window for a second election in a row overnight, securing a seat in Cork South West and in so doing becoming the only woman elected to Dáil Eireann in all Cork city and county.

The County Cllr and farmer surged from fourth position on the eighth and final count shortly after 3.30am to push past Fine Gael Senator Tim Lombard, leaving that party without a representative here for the first time in more than 60 years.

Having secured her seat on Cork County Council by a single vote following a mammoth recount last year, it was another late, late show, though Cairns had polled well from the off, taking 4,696 first preferences.

With Michael Collins topping the poll and being elected on the first count, it always looked like a battle royal between Cairns and Lombard.

It was testament to the drama of her eventual win that Cairns's boyfriend, Fianna Fáil Cllr Christopher O'Sullivan, winning the second seat, again on the eighth count, almost seemed like a trailer to the main event.

Sinn Féin Cllr Paul Hayes had performed admirably but was eliminated on the seventh count, by which time Lombard was more than 2,000 votes clear on Cairns. However, she received 3,023 transfers from Hayes, blitzing Lombard and being declared elected without reaching the quota.

"It doesn't quite feel real yet, but it's great," she said afterwards. "I'm absolutely thrilled."

Not long before, when it looked like Lombard would hold off her challenge thanks to a large vote transfer from running mate Cllr Karen Coakley, she had said "imagine what we could have done with another week."

But with Returning Officer Jerome O'Sullivan preparing to announce the results of the final count, Lombard was putting his coat on. O'Sullivan pushed past the quota and was hoisted onto strong shoulders but the lightning bolt in the room was Cairns's election.

"We had been following transfers and we knew we were going to do well but we didn't think we were going to do this well," she said. "Nor did we know we'd have to. When you think about how much the Social Democrats have achieved in opposition with only two TDs, even adding one more or two more or three more makes a massive difference.

"People in Ireland are ready for a change - we can tell that."

In turning this election race on its head, she more than proved her point.