Social Democrat councillor Holly Cairns has secured a seat in Cork South West and in so doing has become the only woman elected to Dáil Éireann in all Cork city and county.
The county councillor and farmer surged from fourth position on the eighth and final count shortly after 3.30am to push past Fine Gael Senator Tim Lombard, leaving that party without a representative in the constituency for the first time in more than 60 years.
Having secured her seat on Cork County Council by a single vote following a mammoth recount last year, it was another late, late show, though Ms Cairns had polled well from the off, taking 4,696 first preferences. With Independent Michael Collins topping the poll and being elected on the first count, it always looked like a battle royal between Ms Cairns and Mr Lombard.
It was testament to the drama of her eventual win that Ms Cairns’s boyfriend, Fianna Fail Cllr Christopher O’Sullivan, winning the second seat, again on the eighth count, almost seemed like a trailer to the main event.
Sinn Féin Cllr Paul Hayes was eliminated on the seventh count, by which time Mr Lombard was more than 2,000 votes clear on Ms Cairns. However, she received 3,023 transfers from Mr Hayes, blitzing Mr Lombard and being declared elected without reaching the quota.
“It doesn’t quite feel real yet, but it’s great,” she said afterwards. “I’m absolutely thrilled.”
Not long before, when it looked like Mr Lombard would hold off her challenge thanks to a large vote transfer from running mate Cllr Karen Coakley, Ms Cairns had said “imagine what we could have done with another week.” But with returning officer Jerome O’Sullivan preparing to announce the results of the final count, Mr Lombard was putting his coat on. Mr O’Sullivan pushed past the quota and was hoisted onto shoulders but the lightning bolt in the room was Ms Cairns’s election.
“We had been following transfers and we knew we were going to do well but we didn’t think we were going to do this well,” she said. “Nor did we know we’d have to.
“When you think about how much the Social Democrats have achieved in opposition with only two TDs, even adding one more or two more or three more makes a massive difference.
“People in Ireland are ready for a change - we can tell that.”
The electorate in this sprawling three-seater increased by more than 5,000 compared with that in 2016 but turnout was down by 3 per cent to 65 per cent.
Mr Collins said he had received an “emphatic” vote from people in Cork South West and he would repay that faith.
“I have worked hard for the people of west Cork and they have returned that by giving me an emphatic vote tonight,” he said.
As to any possible role in the formation of the next government he said: “I will sit down with anyone that wants to sit down.
“My door is open. We will have to look at the issues that affect Cork South West.”
He said the area had been “totally and utterly neglected” and that if no one wanted to speak with him about the formation of the next government, he would stay in opposition and “hold them severely to account”.
He also had words for an old foe, outgoing Transport Minister Shane Ross.
“I think he wrecked rural Ireland and he was aided and abetted by two political parties,” he said, adding that Mr Ross was now “on the scrapheap of Irish politics”.
Candidates: Holly Cairns (Social Democrats), Karen Coakley (FG), Alan Coleman (Ind), Michael Collins (Ind), Paul Hayes (SF), Tim Lombard (FG), Margaret Murphy O'Mahony (FF), Christopher O'Sullivan (FF), Mairéad Ruane (Aontú), Seán O'Leary (Ind), Kevin O'Connor (S-PBP), Bernadette Connolly (GP)
