The counting of votes in the contest to fill the Clonmel Borough Council seat left vacant by Garret Ahearn upon his election to the Seanad has taken place today, and Fine Gael’s John Fitzgerald has won the seat.
Mr Fitzgerald, the brother of Cllr Michael Fitzgerald defeated Paudie Ahearn – Senator Ahearn’s brother by a vote of 57 to 36 by a section of party members.
It is traditionally the case that should a relation of the departing council member indicate their wish to fill that seat, it would not be contested.
The contest that led to today’s result defied that tradition.
