# 2014 Wicklow County Council election

An election to all 32 seats on Wicklow County Council took place on 23 May 2014 as part of the 2014 Irish local elections, an increase from 24 seats at the 2009 election. In addition, the town councils of Arklow, Bray, Greystones and Wicklow were all abolished. County Wicklow was divided into five local electoral areas (LEAs) to elect councillors for a five-year term of office on the electoral system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (PR-STV).
Independents proved to be the biggest winners in the elections, gaining 7 seats to return to the council with 10 members. Sinn Féin gained 4 additional seats on the council, leaving them with 6 councillors in total. The additional seats helped to insulate Fine Gael from significant seat losses and they remained the largest party despite losing a seat overall. Fianna Fáil gained 3 seats overall to return with 7 members and though they had more first preference votes than Fine Gael, they won 1 less seat overall. Several of the successful Independents such as Joe Behan, Christopher Fox and Jim Ruttle had former Fianna Fáil connections. The Labour Party polled disastrously in the election and were wiped out in what had been one of their former strongholds, losing all 6 seats. Outgoing councillor and outgoing chairman, Jimmy O'Shaughnessy also lost his seat in the election. O'Shaughnessy was a former Labour member. However, 2 former Labour councillors, Tom Fortune and Tommy Cullen, were returned as Independents.
It was also notable that none of the mayors of the town councils were elected. Mick Glynn (FG; Bray), Malcolm Earls (FG; Wicklow) and Peter Dempsey (Ind; Arklow) all failed to be elected, while George Jones (FG; Greystones) retired after serving over 40 years as a Town Councillor and County Councillor.

## Results by party

| Party | Party | Seats | ± | 1st pref | FPv% | ±% |
| | Fine Gael | 8 | -1 | 10,179 | 19.9 | |
| | Fianna Fáil | 7 | +3 | 10,196 | 19.9 | |
| | Sinn Féin | 6 | +4 | 8,493 | 16.7 | |
| | Green | 1 | +1 | 1,217 | 2.4 | |
| | Labour | 0 | -6 | 1,595 | 3.1 | |
| | People Before Profit | 0 | - | 1,054 | 2.05 | |
| | Independent | 10 | +7 | 18,228 | 35.7 | |
| Total | Total | 32 | +8 | 51,389 | 100.0 | — |

## Results by local electoral area

^ *: Outgoing councillor. ^ †: Outgoing councillor elected in 2009 in the Wicklow LEA for Labour; contesting both Arklow and Wicklow LEAs.

### Arklow

Arklow: 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Pat Fitzgerald | 20.55 | 1,937 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Pat Kennedy | 16.46 | 1,552 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Tommy Annesley | 9.16 | 864 | 1,130 | 1,181 | 1,186 | 1,232 | 1,298 | 1,380 | | | |
| | Fine Gael | Sylvester Bourke | 11.53 | 1,087 | 1,132 | 1,156 | 1,158 | 1,179 | 1,243 | 1,370 | | | |
| | Independent | Miriam Murphy | 6.31 | 595 | 651 | 669 | 691 | 747 | 815 | 933 | 949 | 1,233 | 1,245 |
| | Sinn Féin | Mary McDonald | 7.91 | 746 | 776 | 787 | 811 | 853 | 872 | 972 | 976 | 1,088 | 1,092 |
| | Independent | Tom Curran | 7.0 | 660 | 690 | 703 | 731 | 766 | 807 | 892 | 902 | 1,075 | 1,082 |
| | Independent | Peter Dempsey | 6.54 | 617 | 692 | 695 | 703 | 767 | 813 | 850 | 853 | | |
| | Independent | Jimmy O'Shaughnessy | 6.55 | 618 | 629 | 699 | 714 | 743 | 768 | | | | |
| | Labour | Mary Mooty | 3.42 | 322 | 350 | 355 | 359 | 376 | | | | | |
| | Independent | Nicky Kelly | 3.0 | 283 | 322 | 329 | 349 | | | | | | |
| | Direct Democracy | Brian Whelan | 1.03 | 97 | 102 | 104 | | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Charlie Keddy | 0.53 | 50 | 55 | 56 | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 16,752 Valid: 9,428 (56.28%) Spoilt: 104 Quota: 1,347 Turnout: 9,532 (56.90%) ||||||||||||||

### Baltinglass

Baltinglass: 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| | Independent | Tommy Cullen | 16.90 | 1,802 | | | | | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Gerry O'Neill | 14.45 | 1,541 | | | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Jim Ruttle | 14.42 | 1,538 | | | | | | | | |
| | Fine Gael | Edward Timmins | 11.95 | 1,274 | 1,374 | 1,381 | 1,402 | 1,405 | 1,411 | 1,434 | 1,513 | 1,850 |
| | Fine Gael | Vincent Blake | 11.66 | 1,244 | 1,255 | 1,258 | 1,285 | 1,285 | 1,285 | 1,389 | 1,402 | 1,468 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Pat Doran | 9.98 | 1,064 | 1,086 | 1,086 | 1,115 | 1,115 | 1,116 | 1,162 | 1,305 | 1,324 |
| | Sinn Féin | Aidan Kinsella | 6.09 | 650 | 685 | 689 | 716 | 723 | 724 | 792 | 823 | 840 |
| | Fine Gael | Lorcan McMahon | 5.45 | 581 | 596 | 603 | 611 | 615 | 618 | 627 | 723 | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Joe McCormac | 3.81 | 406 | 439 | 446 | 456 | 458 | 460 | 473 | | |
| | Independent | Kevin Byrne | 2.51 | 268 | 287 | 312 | 380 | 381 | 382 | | | |
| | Independent | Jillian Godsil | 1.81 | 193 | 214 | 250 | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Dominic Plant | 0.68 | 73 | 90 | | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Charlie Keddy | 0.29 | 31 | 36 | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 18,501 Valid: 10,665 (57.65%) Spoilt: 123 Quota: 1,524 Turnout: 10,788 (58.31%) |||||||||||||

### Bray

Bray: 8 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
| | Sinn Féin | John Brady | 16.95 | 2,142 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Joe Behan | 12.11 | 1,516 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Christopher Fox | 11.85 | 1,484 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Oliver O'Brien | 5.39 | 675 | 1,163 | 1,205 | 1,210 | 1,214 | 1,222 | 1,254 | 1,271 | 1,283 | 1,309 | 1,314 | 1,336 | 1,341 | 1,541 | | |
| | Independent | Brendan Thornhill | 6.55 | 820 | 843 | 896 | 903 | 912 | 947 | 964 | 1,004 | 1,013 | 1,102 | 1,138 | 1,217 | 1,298 | 1,498 | | |
| | Green | Steven Matthews | 6.01 | 752 | 768 | 791 | 797 | 799 | 813 | 826 | 847 | 865 | 888 | 953 | 1,073 | 1,163 | 1,302 | 1,346 | 1,381 |
| | Fine Gael | John Ryan | 4.71 | 590 | 594 | 607 | 617 | 617 | 620 | 624 | 634 | 647 | 656 | 851 | 942 | 1,312 | 1,339 | 1,347 | 1,358 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Pat Vance | 5.41 | 677 | 691 | 720 | 729 | 731 | 737 | 743 | 755 | 767 | 786 | 816 | 860 | 942 | 974 | 986 | 998 |
| | Fianna Fáil | David Grant | 5.12 | 641 | 665 | 722 | 728 | 729 | 732 | 744 | 760 | 771 | 799 | 814 | 853 | 921 | 970 | 976 | 989 |
| | People Before Profit | Sharon Briggs | 4.47 | 560 | 638 | 667 | 673 | 676 | 703 | 750 | 770 | 783 | 817 | 834 | 881 | 907 | | | |
| | Fine Gael | Mick Glynn | 4.39 | 550 | 560 | 580 | 588 | 589 | 592 | 595 | 607 | 615 | 630 | 746 | 842 | | | | |
| | Labour | Ronan McManus | 3.58 | 448 | 461 | 481 | 487 | 490 | 497 | 500 | 513 | 623 | 639 | 677 | | | | | |
| | Fine Gael | Sarah Wray | 3.93 | 492 | 498 | 505 | 515 | 517 | 519 | 521 | 529 | 554 | 565 | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Barry Nevin | 1.65 | 207 | 224 | 225 | 250 | 254 | 271 | 288 | 318 | 322 | | | | | | | |
| | Labour | Tracy O'Brien | 1.76 | 220 | 231 | 240 | 243 | 244 | 244 | 247 | 251 | | | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Eugene Finnegan | 1.34 | 168 | 185 | 211 | 217 | 221 | 232 | 246 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Catherine Hannon-Kennedy | 1.16 | 145 | 162 | 179 | 182 | 189 | 198 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Seay Ledwidge | 1.0 | 126 | 133 | 142 | 146 | 154 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Charlie Keddy | 0.39 | 49 | 54 | 59 | 61 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 23,347 Valid: 12,522 (53.63%) Spoilt: 148 Quota: 1,392 Turnout: 12,670 (54.27%) ||||||||||||||||||||

### Greystones

Greystones: 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| | Independent | Jennifer Whitmore | 27.44 | 2,328 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Tom Fortune | 14.64 | 1,242 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Fine Gael | Derek Mitchell | 9.56 | 811 | 931 | 941 | 944 | 975 | 1,006 | 1,111 | 1,145 | 1,278 | | |
| | Fine Gael | Gráinne McLoughlin | 7.46 | 633 | 755 | 771 | 774 | 808 | 851 | 922 | 960 | 1,167 | 1,215 | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Gerry Walsh | 7.45 | 632 | 732 | 747 | 749 | 755 | 806 | 827 | 1,043 | 1,068 | 1,074 | 1,110 |
| | Sinn Féin | Nicola Lawless | 8.08 | 686 | 757 | 796 | 800 | 823 | 840 | 847 | 882 | 896 | 897 | 1,090 |
| | Green | Niall Byrne | 3.58 | 304 | 462 | 480 | 483 | 542 | 555 | 578 | 611 | 668 | 676 | 800 |
| | People Before Profit | Jacqui Johnston | 3.88 | 329 | 452 | 490 | 495 | 516 | 532 | 547 | 577 | 591 | 593 | |
| | Fine Gael | Liz Dillon | 3.65 | 310 | 405 | 411 | 412 | 442 | 454 | 511 | 532 | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | James Doyle | 3.83 | 325 | 380 | 393 | 395 | 410 | 478 | 505 | | | | |
| | Fine Gael | David O'Reilly | 3.36 | 283 | 345 | 349 | 350 | 369 | 383 | | | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Taragh Hanley | 2.82 | 239 | 295 | 302 | 304 | 306 | | | | | | |
| | Labour | Ian McGahon | 2.22 | 188 | 273 | 283 | 286 | | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Charlie Keddy | 2.10 | 178 | 243 | | | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 16,531 Valid: 8,485 (51.33%) Spoilt: 81 Quota: 1,213 Turnout: 8,566 (51.82%) |||||||||||||||

### Wicklow

Wicklow: 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
| | Sinn Féin | John Snell | 15.33 | 1,577 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Dáire Nolan | 11.26 | 1,159 | 1,162 | 1,169 | 1,170 | 1,176 | 1,180 | 1,191 | 1,196 | 1,266 | 1,281 | 1,317 | 1,370 | 1,394 | 1,468 | 1,475 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Pat Casey | 11.20 | 1,152 | 1,157 | 1,161 | 1,162 | 1,166 | 1,173 | 1,176 | 1,190 | 1,197 | 1,218 | 1,238 | 1,301 | 1,320 | 1,342 | 1,404 |
| | Fine Gael | Shay Cullen | 9.85 | 1,013 | 1,016 | 1,022 | 1,024 | 1,025 | 1,035 | 1,039 | 1,048 | 1,061 | 1,076 | 1,095 | 1,156 | 1,212 | 1,224 | 1,330 |
| | Fine Gael | Irene Winters | 7.47 | 769 | 772 | 772 | 776 | 777 | 794 | 799 | 830 | 834 | 864 | 888 | 930 | 1,024 | 1,072 | 1,328 |
| | Independent | Pat Kavanagh | 5.19 | 534 | 538 | 543 | 556 | 573 | 587 | 625 | 637 | 655 | 702 | 825 | 880 | 930 | 1,109 | 1,200 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Gail Dunne | 6.87 | 707 | 711 | 712 | 715 | 722 | 724 | 729 | 752 | 757 | 775 | 799 | 824 | 885 | 947 | 1,082 |
| | Fine Gael | Malcolm Earls | 5.27 | 542 | 547 | 550 | 555 | 560 | 569 | 572 | 595 | 598 | 623 | 647 | 685 | 789 | 827 | |
| | Sinn Féin | Garrett O'Reilly | 4.63 | 476 | 519 | 522 | 531 | 542 | 549 | 573 | 580 | 615 | 635 | 666 | 708 | 761 | | |
| | Labour | Paul O'Brien | 4.05 | 417 | 424 | 426 | 428 | 432 | 453 | 460 | 471 | 479 | 498 | 543 | 580 | | | |
| | Independent | Jimmy O'Shaughnessy | 3.98 | 409 | 422 | 425 | 431 | 437 | 447 | 456 | 471 | 477 | 508 | 539 | | | | |
| | Independent | John Goodman | 3.72 | 383 | 386 | 387 | 390 | 397 | 404 | 417 | 426 | 435 | 457 | | | | | |
| | Independent | Gerry Kinsella | 2.40 | 247 | 252 | 258 | 265 | 269 | 281 | 294 | 302 | 307 | | | | | | |
| | Éirígí | Seán Doyle | 1.79 | 184 | 186 | 189 | 191 | 195 | 196 | 217 | 219 | | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Mervyn Morrison | 1.69 | 174 | 175 | 175 | 176 | 180 | 190 | 193 | | | | | | | | |
| | People Before Profit | Anna Doyle | 1.60 | 165 | 167 | 168 | 172 | 174 | 187 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Green | Paul Leahy | 1.56 | 161 | 161 | 161 | 166 | 170 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Michael Mulvihill | 0.86 | 88 | 91 | 93 | 94 | 94 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Direct Democracy | Norman Phillips | 0.71 | 73 | 74 | 76 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Charlie Keddy | 0.57 | 59 | 59 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 18,303 Valid: 10,289 (56.21%) Spoilt: 91 Quota: 1,470 Turnout: 10,380 (56.71%) |||||||||||||||||||

## Aftermath

Following the elections, the Fine Gael group with 8 councillors, the Fianna Fáil group with 7 councillors and an independent technical group of 4 councillors came together to become the "official/government" side of the council, while the Sinn Féin group with 6 councillors, the Green Party councillor and an independent technical group of 5 councillors formed the "opposition" side of the council. One independent councillor refused to join either side and remained on his own.
Following the election, at the first Annual General Meeting of the council, Christopher Fox (Independent) was elected Cathaoirleach (chairman) of the council. John Ryan (Fine Gael) was elected as Leas-Cathaoirleach (Vice-chairman) of the council.
The "control" of the council was a rainbow coalition of Fine Gael/Fianna Fáil/Independent. The opposition side consisted of Sinn Féin/Green Party/Independent.

## Changes
### Co-options

| Party | Outgoing | LEA | Reason | Date | Co-optee |
| Independent | Pat Kavanagh | Wicklow | Death | 7 March 2016 | Mary Kavanagah |
| Sinn Féin | John Brady | Bray | Elected to the 32nd Dáil at the 2016 general election | March 2016 | Michael O'Connor |
| Fianna Fáil | Pat Casey | Wicklow | Elected to the 32nd Dáil at the 2016 general election | March 2016 | Gail Dunne |

### Changes in affiliation

| Name | LEA | Elected as | New affiliation | Date |
| Jennifer Whitmore | Greystones | Independent | Social Democrats | 15 November 2015 |
| Oliver O'Brien | Bray | Sinn Féin | Independent | August 2017 |
| Gerry O'Neill | Greystones | Sinn Féin | Independent | August 2017 |
| John Snell | Wicklow | Sinn Féin | Independent | August 2017 |
| Oliver O'Brien | Bray | Independent | Aontú | 9 December 2018 |
| Mary McDonald | Arklow | Sinn Féin | Independent | 10 March 2019 |

## Sources

* "Wicklow County Council". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 2 June 2014.