Sharon Keogan becomes Meath's third senator

Meath has had its third senator elected in two days, with the success of Duleek-based county councillor Sharon Keogan in the Senate elections early this morning.
The independent councillor  - who famously and controversially won seats in two separate electoral areas in last year’s local elections, was a candidate on the Industrial and Commercial panel for the senate elections. She was elected on the 31st count, following the elimination of Niall O’Tuathaill. 

Cllr Keogan, who had the backing of many of Meath’s independent councillors in the General Election, was nominated by Senators Gerard Craughwell and Joan Freeman, and Deputies Peter Fitzpatrick and Mattie McGrath, all independents.
Longford Fine Gael councillor, Micheal Carrigy, and Barry Ward from Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown was the first elected on the Industrial and Commercial Panel, followed by Aidan Davitt (FF) of Westmeath, singer Frances Black, Mark Wall of Labour in Laois, and Galway city councillor Ollie Crowe took a second seat for Fianna Fáil.

Cllr Keogan and Eilish McCallion of Sinn Fein were deemed elected without reaching the quota, as the last two candidates standing, at 1.40am this morning.

Fine Gael councillor in Meath East, Sharon Tolan, was eliminated on the 16th count. Also losing out was former Fianna Fail TD for Clare, Timmy Dooley.
Last night, Former Fianna Fail TD for Meath West, Shane Cassells, was elected to the Labour Panel on the 13th count, with transfers from Aengus O'Rourke, a Fianna Fail councillor in Westmeath.
Earlier, Labour councillor Annie Hoey has become the first Meath candidate to be elected to the 26th Seanad. The Laytown/ Bettystown councillor from Beamore in Drogheda was elected on the 20th count to fill a seat on the Agricultural panel.