By Aoife Kearns
Waterford was always going to be an interesting constituency with question marks over who would secure the two seats left behind by Fine Gael's John Deasy and outgoing Independent Minister John Halligan.
In the end it was short of no surprises...
To the fifth count in #Waterford and there’s still no candidate elected since Cullinane. It saw the elimination of S/PBP’s Úna Dunphy. It’ll be a tight race between these three candidates but GP’s Marc Ó Cathasaigh should do well with votes transferred from Dunphy. #GE20 pic.twitter.com/KG973roo1q
— Beat 102 103 (@beat102103) February 10, 2020
It was obvious from the first tally that Sinn Féin's David Cullinane would secure a seat.
Deputy Cullinane was elected in a landslide victory securing 20,566 votes, in what looks set to be a huge victory for the party across the South East.
For the first time since the 1960s Fine Gael failed to secure a seat in the county, the last being when the party didn't own a seat from 1965-1969 after the death of a candidate and Fianna Fáil winning the by-election.
Fine Gael's Damien Geoghegan was eliminated in the sixth count but John Cummins held out until the final count, but subsequently lost out Marc Ó Cathasaigh of the Green Party.
The elimination of Geoghegan alongside John Pratt of the Labour party means that there will be no West Waterford TD.
The Sixth count in #Waterford and the big news is that GP candidate Marc Ó Cathasaigh received over 2,000 votes from Úna Dunphy putting him well in contention for a seat. Both Mary Butler and Matt Shanahan are now over the 10,000 mark. FG Damien Geoghegan was eliminated. #GE2020 pic.twitter.com/H4lGNBh25a
— Beat 102 103 (@beat102103) February 10, 2020
The 7th and final count saw three candidates elected with Fianna Fáil's Mary Butler reaching the quota and getting 11,233 votes followed by Independent Matt Shanahan and Marc Ó Cathasaigh of the Green Party.
Final Count #Waterford Mary Butler Fianna Fáil, Matt Shanahan Independent and Marc Ó Cathasaigh has been elected. Plenty of celebrations at the Butler camp.#Election2020 #GE20 pic.twitter.com/EAqbFCJGxX
— Beat 102 103 (@beat102103) February 10, 2020
Here was the final result at Waterford Count Centre at WIT:
People of #Waterford, here are your four newly elected TDs:
David Cullinane, Sinn Féin
Mary Butler, Fianna Fáil
Matt Shanahan, Independent
Marc Ó Cathasaigh, Green Party#GE2020 #Election2020— Beat 102 103 (@beat102103) February 10, 2020
We'll have updates on how results will go in #GE2020 for the rest of the South East, on-air, online and on our live blog.
Photo Credit: Tír na nÓg Photos
