Fianna Fail appeared to cut off their nose to spite their face in the Kilkenny electoral area of the county council as only two of the three Fianna Fail seats were returned to the party.
McGuinness team member Pat Fitzpatrick lost his seat to running mate and Kilkenny election poll-topper Andrew McGuinness.
Picking up some 1,808 votes on the first count, Cllr McGuinness was once again elected with hundreds of votes to spare. However, it was to be at the expense of hard working former councillor Pat Fitzpatrick. This is Cllr McGuinness’ first time sitting on the county council and, although he garnered huge support for his campaign, one wonders would the McGuinness team not have been better off spreading the love and the vote so to speak and gaining two seats for Fianna Fail for the Kilkenny Electoral Area on the county council and keeping a presence of three seats. John Coonan also retained his seat without reaching the quota in the ninth and final count.
Meanwhile Fine Gael’s Martin Brett once again swept the boards and was elected on the sixth count following the distribution of both Labour candidates and Independent candidates’ votes.
Betty Manning was also elected for the first time for Fine Gael to the county council and Paul Cuddihy regained his seat also on the ninth and final count along with Labour Party’s Marie Fitzpatrick.
Sinn Fein’s Kathleen Funchion put up a strong battle for a seat but was eliminated on the second last count.
Green Party’s Malcolm Noonan once again bucked the national trend and was returned with votes to spare on the sixth count.
Once again the Independents did not pose any danger to any of the sitting councillors. There was one Fianna Fail seat to play for as former councillor Michael Lanigan stepped down from his seat this year, leaving it open for contest.
Fine Gael’s Betty Manning was the recipient of the much-needed Fianna Fail seat.
Kilkenny Borough Council election results
Total poll: 8,731
Spoiled votes: 133
Valid poll: 8,598
Quota: 662
The 12 members elected:
Andrew McGuinness (FF ),
Martin Brett (FG ),
Joe Malone (FF ),
John Coonan (FF ),
Malcolm Noonan (Green ),
Marie Fitzpatrick (Lab ),
Betty Manning (FG ),
Kathleen Funchion (SF ),
Paul Cuddihy (FG ),
Joe Reidy (FF ),
David Fitzgerald (FG ),
Sean O hArgain (Lab )
FIRST COUNT:
Martin Brett (FG ): 709 ELECTED
Sean Butler (Lab ): 180
John Coonan (FF ): 568
Paul Cuddihy (FG ): 420
David Fitzgerald (FG ): 430
Marie Fitzpatrick (Lab ): 476
Noel Frawley (Lab ): 107
Kathleen Funchion (SF ): 474
Mick Greene (Ind ): 344
Frank Kavanagh (Ind ): 272
Jimmy Leahy (Ind ): 344
Joe Malone (FF ): 564
Betty Manning (FG ): 510
Andrew McGuinness (FF ): 1,266 ELECTED
Eugene McGuinness (Ind ): 176
Anna Michalska (FF ): 233
Darren Murphy (FG ): 213
Malcolm Noonan (Green ): 610
Sean O hArgain (Lab ): 357
Roger O'Reilly (Ind ): 26
Joe Reidy (FF ): 319
McGuinness and Brett elected
SECOND COUNT: Distribution of McGuinness's surplus of 604:
Sean Butler +10 = 190
John Coonan +84 = 652
Paul Cuddihy + 10 = 430
David Fitzgerald +14 = 444
Marie Fitzpatrick + 35 = 511
Noel Frawley +2 = 109
Kathleen Funchion +27 = 501
Mick Greene +5 = 349
Frank Kavanagh +17 = 289
Jimmy Leahy +18 =362
Joe Malone +131 = 695 ELECTED
Betty Manning + 26 = 536
Eugene McGuinness +24 = 200
Anna Michalska +58 = 291
Darren Murphy +8 =221
Malcolm Noonan +26 = 636
Sean O hArgain +9 = 366
Roger O'Reilly +1 = 27
Joe Reidy +99 = 418
Joe Malone elected
THIRD COUNT: Distribution of Brett's surplus of 47 votes:
Sean Butler: +3 = 193
John Coonan: +5 = 657
Paul Cuddihy: +11 = 441
David Fitzgerald: +4 = 448
Marie Fitzpatrick: +2 = 513
Noel Frawley: +1 = 110
Kathleen Funchion: +2 = 503
Mick Greene: +1 = 350
Frank Kavanagh: +1 = 290
Jimmy Leahy: +1 = 363
Betty Manning: +0 = 545
Eugene McGuinness: +0 = 200
Anna Michalska: +0 = 291
Darren Murphy: +2 = 223
Malcolm Noonan: +2 = 638
Sean O hArgain: +2 = 368
Roger O'Reilly: +0 = 27
Joe Reidy: +1 = 419
(13 non-transferable )
FOURTH COUNT: Distribution of Malone's surplus of 33 votes:
Sean Butler: +0 = 193
John Coonan: +10 = 667 ELECTED
Paul Cuddihy: +1 = 442
David Fitzgerald: +1 = 442
Marie Fitzpatrick: +2 = 515
Noel Frawley: +0 = 110
Kathleen Funchion: +1 = 504
Mick Greene: +1 = 351
Frank Kavanagh: +0 = 290
Jimmy Leahy: +1 = 364
Betty Manning: +0 = 545
Eugene McGuinness: +1 = 201
Anna Michalska: +4 = 295
Darren Murphy: +3 = 226
Malcolm Noonan: +1 = 639
Sean O hArgain: +0 = 368
Roger O'Reilly: +0 = 27
Joe Reidy: +7 = 426
(non-transferable: 16 )
Coonan elected. O'Reilly and Frawley eliminated.
FIFTH COUNT: Distribution of O'Reilly's and Frawley's votes:
Sean Butler: +9 = 202
Paul Cuddihy: +4 = 446
David Fitzgerald: +6 = 455
Marie Fitzpatrick: +28 = 543
Kathleen Funchion: +5 = 509
Mick Greene: +7 = 358
Jimmy Leahy: +3 = 367
Frank Kavanagh: +9 = 299
Betty Manning: +14 = 559
Eugene McGuinness: +2 = 203
Anna Michalska: +4 = 299
Darren Murphy: +2 = 228
Malcolm Noonan: +7 = 646
Sean O hArgain: +25 = 393
Joe Reidy: +4 = 430
SIXTH COUNT: Distribution of Coonan's surplus of 5 votes:
Sean Butler: +0 = 202
Paul Cuddihy: +0 = 446
David Fitzgerald: +0 = 455
Marie Fitzpatrick: +0 = 543
Kathleen Funchion: +0 = 509
Mick Greene: +0 = 358
Jimmy Leahy: +0 = 367
Frank Kavanagh: +0 = 299
Betty Manning: +0 = 559
Eugene McGuinness: +1 = 204
Anna Michalska: +1 = 300
Darren Murphy: +0 = 228
Malcolm Noonan: +0 = 646
Sean O hArgain: +0 = 393
Joe Reidy: +3 = 433
Sean Butler eliminated
SEVENTH COUNT; Distribution of Butler's votes:
Paul Cuddihy: +15 = 461
David Fitzgerald: +8 = 463
Marie Fitzpatrick: +72 = 615
Kathleen Funchion: +19 = 528
Mick Greene: +4 = 362
Frank Kavanagh: +9 = 308
Jimmy Leahy: +5 = 372
Betty Manning: +13 = 572
Eugene McGuinness: +0 = 204
Anna Michalska: +0 = 300
Darren Murphy: +1 = 229
Malcolm Noonan: +7 = 653
Sean O hArgain: +38 = 431
Joe Reidy: +1 = 434
Eugene McGuinness eliminated
EIGHTH COUNT: Distribution of Eugene McGuinness's vote:
Paul Cuddihy: +7 = 468
David Fitzgerald: +5 = 633
Marie Fitzpatrick: +18 = 633
Kathleen Funchion: +20 = 548
Mick Greene: +14 = 376
Frank Kavanagh: +15 = 323
Jimmy Leahy: +17 = 389
Betty Manning: +18 = 590
Anna Michalska: +8 = 308
Darren Murphy: +6 = 235
Malcolm Noonan: +21 = 674 ELECTED
Sean O hArgain: +10 = 441
Joe Reidy: +9 = 443
Noonan elected. Murphy eliminated
NINTH COUNT: Distribution of Murphy's 235 votes:
Paul Cuddihy: +43 = 511
David Fitzgerald: +24 = 492
Marie Fitzpatrick: +31 = 664 ELECTED
Kathleen Funchion: +18 = 566
Mick Greene: +12 = 388
Frank Kavanagh: +6 = 329
Jimmy Leahy: +19 = 408
Betty Manning: +37 = 627
Anna Michalska: +3 = 311
Sean O hArgain: +12 = 453
Joe Reidy: +3 = 446
Fitzpatrick elected. Michalska eliminated
TENTH COUNT: Distribution of Michalska's 311 votes:
Paul Cuddihy: +7 = 518
David Fitzgerald: +14 = 506
Kathleen Funchion: +25 = 591
Mick Greene: +22 = 410
Frank Kavanagh: +8 = 337
Jimmy Leahy: +10 = 418
Betty Manning: +16 = 643
Sean O hArgain: +15 = 468
Joe Reidy: +100 = 546
(non-transferable: 94 )
Kavanagh eliminated.
ELEVENTH COUNT:
Kavanagh's 337 votes:
Paul Cuddihy: +33 = 551
David Fitzgerald: +13 = 519
Kathleen Funchion: +34 = 625
Mick Greene: +51 = 461
Jimmy Leahy: +34 = 452
Betty Manning: +41 = 684 ELECTED
Sean O hArgain: +36 = 504
Joe Reidy: +13 = 559
12TH COUNT: Distribution of Manning's surplus of 22 votes:
Paul Cuddihy: +4 = 555
David Fitzgerald: +4 = 523
Kathleen Funchion: +3 = 628
Mick Greene: +3 = 464
Jimmy Leahy: +0 = 452
Sean O hArgain: +7 = 511
Joe Reidy: +1 = 560
13TH COUNT: Distribution of Noonan's surplus of 12 votes:
Paul Cuddihy: +0 = 555
David Fitzgerald: +0 = 523
Kathleen Funchion: +3 = 631
Mick Greene: +4 = 468
Jimmy Leahy: +1 = 453
Sean O hArgain: +3 = 514
Joe Reidy: +1 = 561
Leahy eliminated
14TH COUNT: Distribution of Leahy's 453 votes:
Paul Cuddihy: +56 = 611
David Fitzgerald: +42 =565
Kathleen Funchion: +69 = 700 ELECTED
Mick Greene: +67 = 535
Sean O hArgain: +42 = 556
Joe Reidy: +53 =614
Funchion elected
15TH AND FINAL COUNT:
Distribution of Funchion's surplus of 38
Paul Cuddihy: +6 = 617 ELECTED
David Fitzgerald: +5 = 570 ELECTED
Mick Greene: +7 = 542
Sean O hArgain: +10 = 566 ELECTED
Joe Reidy: +3 = 617 ELECTED
Reidy, Cuddihy, Fitzgerald and O hArgain are elected.
