A fourth councillor has been elected in the Gort-Kinvara constituency, leaving just one seat to be filled.

A newcomer to politics, Paul Killilea, a schoolteacher in Moneenageisha in the city, is a native of Kiltartan, outside Gort, who lives in Kinvara. He was chosen to run for Fine Gael to take advantage of the huge number of votes secured by poll-topper Joe Byrne, who decided not to run.

Fine Gael’s PJ Murphy topped the poll, followed by Fianna Fáil’s Cllr Martina Kinane and Independent Cllr Geraldine Donohue.

Cllr Killilea secured an impressive 1,538 number ones, getting 179 transfers from the other three.

Next in line to take a seat is Cllr Gerry Finnerty (FF) who has 357 votes to get on transfers to reach the quota.

Caption: Joe Byrne the two Fine Gael Councillors for Gort-Kinvara LEA, Paul Killilea and PJ Murphy. Pic Gerry Stronge

Count 2

*Murphy PJ (FG) 1,953 Elected (+295)

*Kinane, Martina (FF) 1,884 Elected (+226)

*Donohue, Geraldine (Ind) 1,761 Elected (+103)

Killilea, Paul (FG) (+179) 1,717 Elected

Finnerty, Gerry (FF) +76) 1,301

Flynn Dixon, Megan (Green) (+19) 781

Kelly, Lucina (SF) (+14) 537

Sweeney, Alan (The Irish People) 296 (+7) 303

Gort-Kinvara

Count 3

*Murphy PJ (FG) 1,953 Elected (+295)

*Kinane, Martina (FF) 1,884 Elected (+226)

*Donohue, Geraldine (Ind) 1,761 Elected (+103)

Killilea, Paul (FG) (+179) 1,717 Elected

Finnerty, Gerry (FF) (+114) 1,415

Flynn Dixon, Megan (Green) (+71) 852

Kelly, Lucina (SF) (+22) 559

Sweeney, Alan (The Irish People) 296 (+19) 322