The youngest member of Galway County Council has topped the poll in Athenry/Oranmore this time around.

Fianna Fáil Councillor Albert Dolan, an accountant from Monivea, was first past the post in the seven-seat constituency when the first count was announced long after darkness descended on Galway Lawn Tennis Club in Salthill with a quota-and-a-half under his belt.

First timer, engineer Tomás Grealish, brother of TD Noel Grealish who lives in Carnmore, was elected also on the first count, with 1,843 first preferences.

Last time around when he was just 20, he took the second seat after Independent Cllr James Charity from Corrandulla.

There will be a battle for the remaining five seats, with not much between Cllrs David Collins and Charity, pulling 1,586 and 1,565 number ones respectively.

Former Fine Gael councillor Peter Feeney currently sits in fifth position, with party colleague Eoghan Gallagher and Sinn Féin’s Louis O’Hara all above the 1,000 mark.

Fianna Fáil Cllr Shelly Herterich Quinn pulled in just 792 first preferences so she will be competing with fellow FF candidate Cillian Keane, who pulled 937 votes, for transfers from Cllr Dolan.

Caption: Poll-topper Albert Dolan chats with Junior Minister Anne Rabbitte at the count centre in Galway Lawn Tennis Club.

Athenry-Oranmore

Seven seats

Electorate: 26,073

Total poll: 13,877

Spoiled votes: 135

Total valid poll: 13,742

Quota: 1,718

Count 1

*Dolan, Albert (FF) 2,393 Elected (+675)

*Grealish, Tomas (Non-party) Elected 1,893 (+125)

Collins, David (FG) 1,586

Charity, James (Non-party) 1,565

Feeney, Peter (FG) 1,213

Gallagher, Eoghan (FG) 1,018

O’Hara, Louis (SF) 1,005

Keane, Cillian (FF) 937

Herterich-Quinn, Shelly (FF) 792

Madden, Eoin (Green) 454

Landy, Fergal (Lab) 409

Hehir, Seán (IndI) 301

Carr, Maria (TIP)  226

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