With a record six seats up for grabs in the Piltown Electoral Area and two sitting Fine Gael councillors having declared themselves out of the race from an early date, the seats in this area were all to play for.
And the candidates did play.
With two sitting candidates exceeding the quota on the first count only four seats were available to the battling 10 remaining candidates.
Once again Tomas Breathnach proved his popularity by topping the poll for the Labour Party. The Labour Party confirmed the national surge of popularity was also evident in the south of the county for the party in comparison to the lack of support illustrated for Labour in Kilkenny city.
Next to be elected was Fine Gael’s Pat Dunphy who was only a cock-step behind Cllr Breathnach with 1,570 votes on the first count, exceeding the quota of 1,479.
With the stepping down of Catherine Phelan, there were huge hopes in the south of the county that not only would her seat be filled by a Fine Gael candidate, but one of a female variety. This was to be and Anne Marie Irish became only the third candidate to become elected on the sixth count with 1,550 votes on transfers.
Following two more elimination’s Eamon Aylward, the nephew of Deputies Bobby and Liam Aylward received transfers of 247 from eliminated sitting Fianna Fail councillor Pat Walsh who had originally been co-opted onto the council when Deputy Bobby Aylward took up his position in the Oireachtas.
Following the elimination of Fine Gael’s Paddy Gaule, it was no surprise that well-known community activist and staunch Fine Gael woman Fideles Doherty took the second last seat with 1,493 votes.
Sitting councillor for Fianna Fail Cora Long regained the sixth and final seat without reaching the quota on 1,201 votes after fighting a tough battle with Fine Gael’s Paddy Gaule.
The Piltown Electoral Area did not change the status quo retaining three Fine Gael councillors, two Fianna Fail and one Labour. Fine Gael held onto their two seats in the area although both Dick Dowling and Catherine Phelan were not running. Fianna Fail lost Pat Walsh but gained Eamon Aylward while Cora Long retained her seat and Tomas Breathnach returned his seat as a poll topper.
Piltown Electoral Area
Total electorate: 16,342
Total poll: 10,458
Spoiled votes: 111
Valid poll: 10,347
Quota: 1,479
6 seats
The five councillors elected are:
Tomas Breathnach (Lab ),
Pat Dunphy (FG ),
Anne-Maria Irish (FG ),
Eamon Aylward (FF ),
Fidelis Doherty (FG ),
Cora Long (FF )
FIRST COUNT:
Eamon Aylward (FF ): 1,138
Ann Blackmore (Ind ): 468
Peadar de Bluit (SF ): 394
Tomas Breathnach (Lab ): 1,653 ELECTED
Fintan Byrne (FG ): 611
Fidelis Doherty (FG ): 1,019
Robert Duggan (FF ): 407
Pat Dunphy (FG ): 1,570 ELECTED
Paddy Gaule (FG ): 750
Anne-Maria Irish (FG ): 1,098
Cora Long (FF ): 573
Pat Walsh (FF ): 666
Breathnach and Dunphy elected
SECOND COUNT: Distribution of Breathnach's surplus of 174 votes
Eamon Aylward (FF ): +13 = 1,151
Ann Blackmore (Ind ): +23 = 491
Peadar de Bluit (SF ): +25 = 419
Fintan Byrne (FG ): +16 = 627
Fidelis Doherty (FG ): +20 = 1,039
Robert Duggan (FF ): +5 = 412
Paddy Gaule (FG ): +10 = 760
Anne-Maria Irish (FG ): +39 = 1,137
Cora Long (FF ): +20 = 593
Pat Walsh (FF ): +3 = 669
THIRD COUNT: Distribution of Dunphy's surplus of 91 votes:
Eamon Aylward (FF ): +5 = 1,156
Ann Blackmore (Ind ): +8 = 499
Peadar de Bluit (SF ): +6 = 425
Fintan Byrne (FG ): +6 = 633
Fidelis Doherty (FG ): +13 = 1,052
Robert Duggan (FF ): +6 = 418
Paddy Gaule (FG ): +12 = 772
Anne-Maria Irish (FG ): +20 = 1,157
Cora Long (FF ): +14 = 607
Pat Walsh (FF ): +1 = 670
Duggan eliminated.
FOURTH COUNT:
Distribution of Duggan's 418 votes:Eamon Aylward (FF ): +100 = 1,256
Ann Blackmore (Ind ): +105 = 604
Peadar de Bluit (SF ): +12 = 437
Fintan Byrne (FG ): +6 = 639
Fidelis Doherty (FG ): +13 = 1,065
Paddy Gaule (FG ): +7 = 779
Anne-Maria Irish (FG ): +17 = 1,174
Cora Long (FF ): +96 = 703
Pat Walsh (FF ): +22 = 692
(non-transferable: 40 )
De Bluit eliminated
FIFTH COUNT: Distribution of de Bluit's 437 votes:
Eamon Aylward (FF ): +33 = 1,295
Ann Blackmore (Ind ): +89 = 693
Fintan Byrne (FG ): +36 = 675
Fidelis Doherty (FG ): +22 = 1,087
Paddy Gaule (FG ): +19 = 798
Anne-Maria Irish (FG ): +60 = 1,234
Cora Long (FF ): +29 = 732
Pat Walsh (FF ): +14 = 707
Byrne eliminated
SIXTH COUNT: Distribution of Byrne's 675 votes:
Eamon Aylward (FF ): +30 = 1,325
Ann Blackmore (Ind ): +23 = 716
Fidelis Doherty (FG ): +122 = 1,209
Paddy Gaule (FG ): +37 = 835
Anne-Maria Irish (FG ): +316 = 1,550 ELECTED
Cora Long (FF ): +21 = 753
Pat Walsh (FF ): +24 = 730
(non-transferable: 102 )
Irish elected
SEVENTH COUNT: Distribution of Irish's surplus of 71 votes:
Eamon Aylward (FF ): +4 = 1,329
Ann Blackmore (Ind ): +5 = 721
Fidelis Doherty (FG ): +31 = 1,240
Paddy Gaule (FG ): +21 = 856
Cora Long (FF ): +6 = 759
Pat Walsh (FF ): +4 = 734
Blackmore eliminated
EIGHTH COUNT: Distribution of Blackmore's 721 votes:
Eamon Aylward (FF ): +88 = 1,417
Fidelis Doherty (FG ): +112 = 1,352
Paddy Gaule (FG ): +52 = 908
Cora Long (FF ): +171 = 930
Pat Walsh (FF ): +22 = 756
Walsh eliminated
NINTH COUNT: Distribution of Walsh's 756 votes:
Eamon Aylward (FF ): +247 = 1,664 ELECTED
Fidelis Doherty (FG ): +109 = 1,461
Paddy Gaule (FG ): +146 = 1,054
Cora Long (FF ): +146 = 1,076
Aylward elected. Gaule eliminated
TENTH AND FINAL COUNT:
Distribution of
Aylward's surplus of 185 votes:
Fidelis Doherty (FG ): +32 = 1,493 ELECTED
Paddy Gaule (FG ): +25 = 1,079
Cora Long (FF ): +125 = 1,201 ELECTED
Doherty and Long ELECTED
