Tuam area has had all its seats filled after four candidates were declared elected – three of them without reaching the quota.

Cllr Shaun Cunniffe is the third member of the new Independent Ireland party to win a seat in Galway after he made the quota on Count 12.

Party leader Michael Fitzmaurice was one of the supporters to hoist him in the air on his victory.

In one swift move after the marathon count, three others were deemed elected. The new Tuam district area will also have sports broadcaster Ollie Turner, returning Cllr Donagh Killilea and Independent Karey McHugh Farag. She had initially decided against running after having her first baby but doing an about-turn at the last minute.

She was the last candidate to sneak in, denying Dunmore publican Joe Sheridan (FF) a return to the council

Tuam will have Fine Gael members in the majority for the next five years, with three of them representing the party, with two from Fianna Fáil, one Independent Ireland and one Independent.

Already elected were Andrew Reddington and Pete Roche for Fine Gael and Mary Hoade for Fianna Fáil.

Caption: Ollie Turner after his election, with wife Therese and their daughters Laura, Rachel and Emma. Pic Gerry Stronge.

Count 12

Distribution of Silke’s (Aontú) 893 votes.

*Cunniffe, Shaun (IndI) (+207) 2,009 (Elected)

*Killilea, Donagh Mark (FF) (+89) 1,804 (Elected)

*Turner, Ollie (FG) (+141) 1,836 (Elected)

*McHugh Farag, Karey (Ind) (+162) 1,790 (Elected)

Sheridan, Joe (FF) (+48) 1,375