EXPLAINER: Twenty councillors elected in 20 minutes in the Tipperary Local Elections

Twenty councillors have been elected in 20 minutes at the Thurles Count Centre.

That means half the seats in the 2024 Local Elections have been won.

In Roscrea-Templemore, Fianna Fail's Michael Smith topped the poll with 2,460 votes.

Lowry Group's Shane Lee followed closely behind him with 2,231 votes.

That is two of LEA's four seats won.

In Clonmel, three councillors were elected.

Fine Gael's Michael Murphy topped the polls with 2,746 votes.

Pat English followed with 1,574 and Fianna Fail's Siobhan Ambrose with 1,512 votes.

Clonmel is a six-seater LEA, so half the seats are now filled.

In Cashel-Tipperary Independent John O'Heney came out of nowhere with 2,534 votes.

Declan Burgess (FG) came in at 1,852 votes and Liam Browne (Ind) with 1,665 votes.

Cashel-Tipp has four seats up for grabs in the morning. 

In Thurles, Jim Ryan (Ind) topped the poll with 2,435 votes, retaining his seat.

No surprises, Michéal Lowry (LOW) followed closely on 2,184.

And Fianna Fail's Sean Ryan also retained his seat with 1,683 votes.

In Newport, there were four seats available, and three are now filled.

Labour's Fiona Bonfield led with 2,346 votes, followed by Dr Phyll Bugler (FG) with 1,636 votes.

Newcomer Pamela O'Meara Quirke (LOW) was elected with 1,665 votes.

Two councillors were elected in five-seater Nenagh.

Independent Joe Hanigan was elected on 2,233 votes, while Independent Michael O'Meara was elected on 1,822.

In Cahir, two of the four seats were filled by Máirín McGrath (Ind) with 2,079 votes and Andy Moloney (Ind) with 1,762.

And finally, two seats were filled in Carrick On Suir by Sinn Fein's David Dunne and Imelda Goldsboro (FF).

David Dunne was elected on 1,759 votes and Imelda Goldsboro on 1,898.

Tomorrow, the transfers will be assigned and Tipperary will have elected its new council.