Day three of the election count in Dundalk was expected to be straightforward enough after two days during which only two candidates Ruairí Ó Murchú (13,016 votes) and Joanna Byrne (11,989 votes), both of Sinn Féin, getting cross the line very late on Sunday night.

But there is no guarantee of proceedings going smoothly and so it proved this morning when Deputy Returning Officer Paddy Donnelly announced the results of the 196h count as:

Ged Nash (LAB) - 10,573

Paula Butterly (FG) - 8,502

Erin McGreehan (FF) - 8,284

Alison Comyn (FF) - 5,686

Kevin Callan (IND) - 5,682

This was a contest for the final three seats and the obvious potential winners are Nash, Butterly and McGreehan in third fourth and fifth place with Alison Comyn in sixth, just four votes ahead of Kevin Callan.

Then, to everyone’s surprise, Callan asked for a recheck. A groan went around the room because memories were fresh from yesterday when Michael O’Dowd asked for a recount and it took over three hours for it to be carried out.

O’Dowd was right to request a check because he was just six votes short of the number required to get his expenses reimbursed. As it turned out, the recount increased his vote by seven so he will be paid his €11,000 expenses and deposit.

Both Callan and Comyn were well past the required number of votes to prevent losing their expenses but neither had any chance of reaching the quota to be elected so it was only about who came sixth or seventh.

The recheck of the 19th count was duly carried out and Deputy Returning Officer Paddy Donnelly announced that no discrepancies had been found, Callan’s elimination would stand and his 5,682 votes redistributed among the remaining four candidates.

"It has been a great honour to serve county Louth as a public representative for 15 years" Cllr. Callan said. "I want to thank each and every person who trusted me with their vote and who we met on the campaign trail from Cooley to Bettystown.

"I would like to thank my wife Ruth, our family and friends who all helped with the campaign. I was very lucky to have the support of Cllrs Jim Tenanty, Declan Power Ciaran Fisher and Paddy McQuillan.

"I will continue to work as hard as ever as a councillor having been reelected in June and as the Cathaoirleach of Louth County Council."