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Brian Crowley, Liadh ni Riada and Gerry Adams at MEP South at the Euro Count centre, Nemo, Cork. Photo: Michael Mac Sweeney/Provision

Four days after 679,296 of the electorate of 1,221,683 cast votes in the vast 10-county Ireland South Euro constituency, a 56% turnout, following a marathon 3 days of counting RTE's exit poll and pundits predictions were borne out at the final result following the 12th count, with outgoing MEPs, Brian Crowley and Sean Kelly returned to Brussels with newcomers Liadh Ni Riada and Deirdre Clune joining them.

Fianna Fail's Brian Crowley again topped the poll with an amazing 180,329 first preference vote, a whopping 48,829 votes over the 131,500 quota. Liadh Ni Riada, the first time Sinn Fein candidate and daughter of the late legendary Sean O Riada, secured an exceptional 125,309 first preferences. Former GAA president and Fine Gael candidate Sean Kelly was next with 83,520. There was further glum tidings for Labour with outgoing MEP Phil Prendergast, who famously or infamously called for party leader Eamon Gilmore to go in the middle of the campaign, securing just 30,317 first preferences, putting her in 7th place and a certainty to lose out on this occasion.

The rest of the first preferences were as follows: Simon Harris (FG) 51,483; Deirdre Clune (FG) 47,453; Diarmuid O'Flynn (IND - Ballyhea Says No) 30,323; Phil Prendergast (Lab) 30,317; Kieran Hartley (FF) 29,987; Grace O'Sullivan (GP) 27,860; Theresa Heaney (Catholic Democrats) 13,569; Richard Cahill (IND) 10,719; Jan Van De Ven (DDI) 9,255; Jillian Godsil (IND) 9,179; Peter O'Loughlin (NP) 6,561 and Donal O Riordain (Fis Nua) 1,634. There were 21,798 spoiled votes, 3.2% of the votes cast.

The distribution of Crowley's surplus saw running mate Hartley gain 20,362, Ni Riada +4,648, Kelly +8,522, Harris +2,429, Clune +4,397 and lesser transfers to the remaining candidates. There followed a series of eliminations with Liadh Ni Riada elected on the 4th count when her total reached 132,950.

One by one thereafter, Heaney, O'Sullivan, Prendergast and O'Flynn were eliminated and with the O Riada surplus distributed according to preference. With 2 seats to be filled, the elimination of Kieran Hartley and the distribution of his accumulated 64.357 votes would decide the destination of the final 2 seats.

At this stage Kelly was on 113,311 and received 8,255 of the Hartley total, bringing him to 121,566; Clune, having moved ahead of FG colleague Simon Harris in the 9th count, was on 64,889 +5,361 = 74,370 and Harris 66,061 +4,747 = 70,808. Sean Kelly and Deirdre Clune were deemed elected without reaching the quota.

Therefore a stunning personal victory for Brian Crowley, already the talk is of a run at the presidency next time for the Bandon native, a famous Fine Gael double despite the doubters and a dismal showing by Labour. Party share of the first preference vote: FF 31%; FG 26.9%; SF 18.4%; IND/Others 12%; Lab 4.5%; GP 4% and 3.2% spoiled.

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