Feeley first elected in Cavan-Belturbet

After being held aloft on the shoulders of supporters, a relieved John Paul Feeley returned to the ground to give his mother a kiss on the cheek in celebration - he had just been announced as the first councillor elected in the Cavan-Belturbet area. The West Cavan man's late father Eddie Feeley was a county councillor, and John Paul confided that he was the first Feeley to be elected on the first count.
"It's a nice achievement," John Paul told the Celt, "and I suppose a little bit emotional - this time five years ago the reason I am here was with me. We were all together."
John Paul's mother told the Celt she was "very proud". 
Fifteen hours after the boxes were opened returning officer Eoin Doyle deemed the Fianna Fáil man elected on the first count, exceeding the quota of 1,345 by 69 votes.
Counting was suspended for the night and resumed at 10am this morning when the eliminated Sean McKiernan's 172 votes were transferred. They were not enough to elect anyone in the second count, so now staff are redistributing Cllr Feeley's surplus.
Those who no doubt enjoyed a relatively restful sleep were likely to be Brendan Fay 1,236 (Ind), Madeleine Argue 1,225 (FG), and Sean Smith 1,114 (FF), whose first preferences had them within reaching distance of the quota. Of those, count 2 saw Argue pick up the most second preferences - 64, pushing her up to 1,289. 
Brendan Fay was one of the success stories of the election, having stood for the first time, essentially as a single-issue candidate, opposing the emotive proposal to St Mogue's and St Bricin's in favour of an amalgamated school based in Ballyconnell. However he receieved just a single second preference from count 2. 
Those who may have spent last night counting sheep jumping over ballot boxes are Patricia Walsh 1,060 (FF) 11%, Peter McVitty 954 (FG) 10%, and Damien Brady 718 (SF) 8%. Walsh was confident enough of making up the 300-plus shortfall telling the Celt "I'm taking back my seat". Count 2 saw her make little headway in that shortfall, picking up just an extra seven.
Peter McVitty accepted that his stance on the closure of St Mogue's and St Bricin's in favour of an amalgamated school based in Ballyconnell hit his vote totals this election, however he insisted that it was still the right decision.
"Hand on my heart I honestly believe the students of west Cavan are entitled to a proper college facility," said the Fine Gael man. 

The haulier will have taken some encouagement from his yield of 53 transfers in this morning's count two, bringing him up to 1,007, and further imperilling Damien Brady. His fate will become clearer later today when his running mate Daniel Downey is eliminated - to what degree his 434 votes are Sinn Féin loyalists, and not Cavan Town-centric will be a factor, with Patricia Walsh well positioned to mop up some of his second preferences. 

Those who remain in the race for now, but out of contention are Liam van der Spek 591 (Lab); Emmett Smith 498 (Solidarity PBP); Daniel Downey 434 (SF). Count 2 did nothing to help any of their causes. Sean McKiernan (FG), whose natural electoral hunting ground was Bailieborough, was cut adrift on 172 and eliminated after the first count.