The first three seats of the Gort/Kinvara constituency have been elected on the first count, with Fine Gael’s PJ Murphy topping the poll.

He was followed by Fianna Fáil’s Cllr Martina Kinane and Independent Cllr Geraldine Donohue.

Cllr Murphy secured 1,953 first preferences, with Cllr Kinane at 1,884 and Cllr Donohue 1,761.

Their surpluses are now being distributed to determine who will fill the remaining two seats, with Paul Killilea and Cllr Gerry Finnerty likely to go through.

A first-timer, Killilea, a teacher running for Fine Gael, secured an impressive 1,538 number ones, buoyed by the support of the previous poll-topper Cllr Joe Byrne, who retired from politics.

Cllr Finnerty (FF) secured 1,225 first preferences.

Caption: Cllr PJ Murphy who topped the poll in Gort Kinvara LEA and with his mother Mary and sister Maura Murphy. Pic Gerry Stronge

Gort-Kinvara

Five Seats

Electorate:  19,718

Total Poll: 10,043

Spoiled votes: 101

Total valid poll: 9,942

Quota: 1,658

Count 1

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

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

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

Killilea, Paul (FG) 1,538

Finnerty, Gerry (FF) 1,225

Flynn Dixon, Megan (Green) 762

Kelly, Lucina (SF) 523

Sweeney, Alan (The Irish People) 296

Keep up to date on the local elections with www.connachttribune.ie and get full analysis in this Thursday’s paper.