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Aontú does well in Bailieboro-Cootehill

The latest tallies for Cootehill-Bailieborough LEA see Aontú’s Sarah O’Reilly and Fianna Fail’s Clifford Kelly way out in front.

Both O’Reilly and Kelly are edging towards 1300 votes each. The quota in 2014 was 1,678.

Former Fianna Fail candidate, co-opted in place of Niamh Smyth TD when she made it to Leinster House, has been polling well in boxes across the constituency, a revelation sure to encourage Peadar Toibin’s new party.

The rest of the field sees all Fianna Fail candidates polling well- PJ Barry on 466, Aidan Fitzpatrick (735), Frank McDermott (872), with Gerry Murray behind on 353.

Of the Sinn Féin candidates, Paddy McDonald on 649 is ahead of Bridget Boyle (593).

For Fine Gael, Carmel Brady, who sneaked in on the final county five years ago, is top among her fellow party candidates on 823, followed Val Smith (714), then former Councillor John O’Hare who lost his seat in 2014 on 598, and Shirley Hall (550).

First time candidate, Labour Party’s Mary Roche is on 89 votes as tallied.

Keep up to date with our election blog throughout the weekend:

https://www.anglocelt.ie/elections/roundup/articles/2019/05/24/4174595-live-election-blog-2019/