#GE2020 MEATH EAST: General Election updates from Ashbourne
Gavan Becton & Sally Harding
23:54: O'Rourke, McEntee and Byrne all elected. Watch it here!
22:36: Final Declaration is only minutes away. This tweet keeps popping up on the Meath East timeline too...
23:26: Waiting......
22:54:
22:28: We're still awaiting the Sixth Count here in Meath East, Any small children still on the premises are being eaten by the media.
22:07:
22:04: State of the nation after Count Five
21:38:
20:47: No candidate reaches the quota after 4th Count and Sharon Keogan is excluded with her 3,024 votes to be distributed. The Independent Cllr leaves the GAA centre in Ashbourne here to a round of polite applause.
20:05: THIRD COUNT here at Ashbourne and the votes of Emer Toibin being distributed. Nobody candidate reached the qu4ota. Deirdre Geragthy Smith excluded and her 1,977 votes to be distributed ahead of the Fourth Count.
19:25: All quietens down here in Ashbourne after the jubilant Sinn Fein group heads away to celebrate their success. Thoughts turning turning to food!!
19:11 Darren O'Rourke now elected after the Second Count after reaching 10,617. Watch below
18.22 SH Deputy First Minister arrives at Ashbourne to congratulate Darren O'Rourke
17.45 SH First count in Meath East - no one has crossed the line. However Darren O’Rourke celebrates on hearing he has topped the poll with 10,223 votes, just 264 short of the 10,487 quota. With transfers he is likely to be elected on the second count. Seamus McDonagh, Andrew Keegan and Annie Hoey eliminated.
17:30 First Count expected very shortly with plenty of supporters arriving for Darren O'Rourke and Sinn Fein, there may even be a set of bagpipes lurking around.
16:55 Helen McEntee speaks to us live from the Count Centre here in Ashbourne, watch it here!
16:47:
16:43:
16:26: Independent Cllr Sharon Keogan has told Sally Harding she believes there could be another election in six months time and that she would be ready to 'go again'
16:24: We're back after a bit of a lull.. Doubtful ballots will be processed at 4.30 according to Returning Officer Kevin Martin.
Thomas Byrne is cutting an anxious figure as we await the counts but all indications are that he will taker that third and final seat after Darren O'Rourke and Helen McEntee.
14:08 GB: Flying along with ruthless efficiency here in Meath East as the counting and checking of Helen McEntee's votes gets underway with Darren O'Rourke and Thomas Byrne's complete.
Gavan Becton speaking with Independent Cllr Joe Bonner in Ashbourne
13:52 GB: Darren O'Rourke joined us for a chat as Storm Ciara absolutekly howls outside the Count Centre here in Ashbourne
13:40 GB:
13.00 SH: TALLY LATEST: With 100% of boxes open we have the latest figures ...
Joe Bonner (Ind) 7.16%
Thomas Byrne (FF) 14.45%
Regina Doherty (FG) 10.28%
Deirdre Geraghty Smith (FF) 4.62%
Annie Hoey (Lab) 2.19%
Andrew Keegan (SPBP) 1.39%
Sharon Keogan (Ind) 5.65%
Sean McCabe (GP) 7.73%
Seamus McDonagh (WP) 0.39%
Helen McEntee (FG) 18.48%
Darren O'Rourke (SF) 24.45%
Emer Toibin 3.87%
12.15 SH: TALLY LATEST: With 88 boxes open - that's 72% of them we have the latest figures ...
Joe Bonner (Ind) 8.43%
Thomas Byrne (FF) 14.03%
Regina Doherty (FG) 10.02%
Deirdre Geraghty Smith (FF) 4.49%
Annie Hoey (Lab) 2.01%
Andrew Keegan (SPBP) 1.44%
Sharon Keogan (Ind) 5.40%
Sean McCabe (GP) 7.53%
Seamus McDonagh (WP) 0.43%
Helen McEntee (FG) 18.13%
Darren O'Rourke (SF) 24.35%
Emer Toibin 3.64%
11:57: A quick look at Louth East Meath while we wait for more reaction from Ashbourne.
11.48 GB: TALLY LATEST: With 73 boxes open - that's 60% of them we have the latest figures ...
Joe Bonner (Ind) 9.49%
Thomas Byrne (FF) 13.75%
Regina Doherty (FG) 9.97%
Deirdre Geraghty Smith (FF) 4.04%
Annie Hoey (Lab) 1.99%
Andrew Keegan (SPBP) 1.51%
Sharon Keogan (Ind) 5.36%
Sean McCabe (GP) 7.73%
Seamus McDonagh (WP) 0.46%
Helen McEntee (FG) 17.28%
Darren O'Rourke (SF) 25.07%
Emer Toibin 3.36%
O'Rourke, McEntee looking good at this stage.
11.37 GB: All gone a bit quiet here for the moment as the counters and tallyfolk take a breather. Election of Darren O'Rourke and Johnny Guirke will mean Meath Co Council needs to co-opt two new Cllrs...that could happen by next full meeting at the start of next month.
11:17: We are at the mercy of the Wifi Signal Lords, but we grabbed a quick word with former Sinn Fein Cllr Michael Gallagher and Cllr Paddy Meade of Fine Gael.
11:04: Our political correspondent and proud Meath man Gavan Reilly predicting a seat in Meath West for Johnny Guirke and very likely to make it a Sinn Fein double for Meath.
10:43 GB: TALLY UPDATE: With 30% of the boxes now opened, Darren O'Rourke remains out in front with just over 25% of the vote, next is Helen McEntee followed by a remarkable showing by Joe Bonner on 14%, though many of the boxes opened are his native Ashbourne. Thomas Byrne is next on 13.94%. Regina Doherty in some trouble now at 9.32%
Joe Bonner (Ind) 14.09%
Thomas Byrne (FF) 13.94%
Regina Doherty (FG) 9.32%
Deirdre Geraghty Smith (FF) 3.23%
Annie Hoey (Lab) 1.87%
Andrew Keegan (SPBP) 1.44%
Sharon Keogan (Ind) 1.84%
Sean McCabe (GP) 7.05%
Seamus McDonagh (WP) 0.63%
Helen McEntee (FG) 17.34%
Darren O'Rourke (SF) 25.41%
Emer Toibin 3.84%
10:35 GB: Here's a quick look at the 12 candidates contesting the election
10:15 GB: TALLY UPDATE: First tally coming out of Meath East and it's showing (with 20% of boxes opened) a commanding lead for Darren O'Rourke.
Joe Bonner (Ind) 15.9%
Thomas Byrne (FF) 13.82%
Regina Doherty (FG) 9.40%
Deirdre Geraghty Smith (FF) 2.84%
Annie Hoey (Lab) 1.98%
Andrew Keegan (SPBP) 1.58%
Sharon Keogan (Ind) 0.76%
Sean McCabe (GP) 7.1%
Seamus McDonagh (WP) 0.63%
Helen McEntee (FG) 15.07%
Darren O'Rourke (SF) 27.84%
Emer Toibin 3.06%
9.52 GB: Just 7 per cent of boxes opened here in Meath East and mostly Ashbourne boxes too. Lots of ticks for Darren O'Rourke as would be expected.
9:40 GB: Well, there's always one...
9:35: ICYMI.. The turnouts across Meath last night..
9am - GB: Good morning from Ashbourne, a very windswept and rainsoaked count centre. Boxes are being opened here and sorting of votes underway. Signal permitting, stay with us throughout the day as we take in last night's Exit Poll that sees Sinn Fein neck and neck with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael ... and see what impact that has on Meath East.
Meanwhile, if you're out and about, please stay safe with #StormCiara making her presence known