Seán Kelly is first MEP elected as pressure grows on Sinn Féin

The main Government parties did well at local elections — and Tuesday's Ireland South count is expected to show significant transfers from FG's poll-topper to FF's Billy Kelleher 

Seán Kelly celebrates his re-election at Nemo Rangers GAA club in Cork with friends, family, and supporters after he topped the poll in Ireland South to become the first MEP elected in Ireland's European elections. Picture: Jonathan Brady/PA

Ireland has elected its first MEP as the Government parties looked set to heap more pressure on Sinn Féin.

Fine Gael’s Seán Kelly was elected on the first count in Nemo Rangers in Cork with 122,777 votes, bringing a surplus of 8,016.

The two main Government parties have put in strong performances at local level and were neck-and-neck at 9.30pm on Monday night with 234 seats each. However, Fianna Fáil is confident that the party will leapfrog Fine Gael to take the largest share of council seats.

By Monday night, Sinn Féin had returned 99 local councillors, while Independents had taken 218.

Re-elected MEP Seán Kelly celebrates with friends and family including his one-year-old granddaughter Hannah-Rose Kelly at the count centre at Nemo Rangers in Cork. Picture: Jonathan Brady/PA

Kelly's surplus expected to benefit Kelleher

Mr Kelly’s surplus is largely expected to benefit Fianna Fáil’s Billy Kelleher, who finished second with 91,074 votes.

Independent TD Michael McNamara was in third with 56,339, while Fianna Fáil’s Cynthia Ní Mhurchú and Independent MEP Mick Wallace occupied fourth and fifth place 56,339 and 52,803, respectively. 

Mr McNamara was considered to be in a commanding position, but the final two seats could go to any one of Ms Ní Mhurchú, Mr Wallace, Green MEP Grace O’Sullivan, or Sinn Féin’s Kathleen Funchion.

Prior to his re-election on Monday night, Seán Kelly was chatting with outgoing Independents 4 Change MEP Mick Wallace, at the count centre at Nemo Rangers in Cork. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

Ms Funchion’s position means that she is in a fight, but her 50,580 was better than had been feared as the votes earlier. Likewise, Ms O’Sullivan is in a better position than anticipated, having effectively conceded the race on Sunday.

'Ming' tops poll in Midlands-North-West 

In Midlands-North-West, counting continued throughout the evening with a first count arriving after 10pm.

Incumbent MEP Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan has topped the poll following the first count in the Midlands-North-West constituency, garnering 78,214 first preference votes. He did not reach the quota, which stands at 113,325. Fianna Fáil’s Barry Cowen and Fine Gael’s Nina Carberry and Maria Walsh are closely trailing.

Despite an underwhelming showing for the party in the locals, Sinn Féin is in a fight for a seat in the constituency, with senior TD Matt Carthy saying that he had previously been counted out but pulled through.

Aontú’s Peadar Tóibín and Independent Ireland’s Ciaran Mullooly are in the hunt for a seat in the constituency, with Mr Mullooly believing transfers to be “crucial”.

Slow progress in Dublin count

The four European seats in Dublin remained unclaimed as the count came to a close in the RDS after 9pm.

Progress was slow as the number of candidates were slowly whittled down in what was a quiet day at the count centre where the day’s events did little to change the top of the leaderboard.

Fianna Fáil’s Barry Andrews and Fine Gael’s Regina Doherty will take a seat, each leaving four contenders to battle for the remaining two — Sinn Féin’s Lynn Boylan, Green Party’s Ciarán Cuffe, Independent Ireland’s Niall Boylan, and Labour’s Aodhán Ó Ríordáin.

The transfers from those eliminated have been somewhat scattered, meaning that there were few sizable boosts for any candidate.

Transfers difficult to predict 

Unsurprisingly, many of the transfers from Independents on the right went to others of a similar ilk. 

However, by day’s end there were no Independents left in the race once Malachy Steenson was eliminated after 9pm.

On Tuesday, the hope is that things will begin to heat up once Sinn Féin’s Daithí Doolan’s votes are distributed.

On Monday night, with just 38 seats left to be filled at local level, Fianna Fáil director of elections Jack Chambers said he is confident the party will have the largest share of council seats when all council members are elected.