# 2019 Cork County Council election

An election to all 55 seats on Cork County Council was held on 24 May 2019 as part of the 2019 Irish local elections. County Cork was divided into 10 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).

## Administrative changes

The election coincided with a transfer of land around Cork city from the administration of the County Council to that of Cork City Council. Several outgoing county councillors, based in areas transferred to the city, stood in the city council election. Compared to the previous election in 2014, the total number of councillors is unchanged, but following the recommendation of the 2018 Boundary Committee, there were significant changes to the LEAs, taking account of the transfer of land to the city, a maximum of 7 seats per LEA in its terms of reference, and population shifts revealed by the 2016 census.

## Analysis

Compared with the 2014 election, Fianna Fáil increased its seat number by 1 to 18 and also polled more votes than Fine Gael. However, Fine Gael gained an additional 4 seats to emerge as the largest party with 20 seats. Both parties benefitted from the collapse of Sinn Féin who only returned with 2 seats, a loss of 8. However, there had been many defections within the party in the years since 2014 and several councillors did not seek re-election. Independents won 10 seats, the same total as in 2014. The Green Party gained 2 seats in the Cobh and Midleton LEAs. After a recount, Holly Cairns won a seat in Bantry–West Cork for the Social Democrats.

## Results by party

| Party | Party | Seats | ± | 1st pref | FPv% | ±% |
| | Fine Gael | 20 | 4 | 42,656 | 31.88 | 4.21 |
| | Fianna Fáil | 18 | 1 | 45,143 | 33.74 | 5.09 |
| | Sinn Féin | 2 | 8 | 7,273 | 5.44 | 9.08 |
| | Labour | 2 | | 4,368 | 3.26 | 3.95 |
| | Green | 2 | 2 | 3,863 | 2.89 | 1.76 |
| | Social Democrats | 1 | 1 | 3,369 | 2.52 | New |
| | Aontú | 0 | | 2,394 | 1.79 | New |
| | Inds. 4 Change | 0 | | 827 | 0.62 | New |
| | People Before Profit | 0 | | 188 | 0.14 | 0.97 |
| | Independent | 10 | | 23,719 | 17.73 | 1.63 |
| Total | Total | 55 | | 133,800 | 100.00 | |

## Results by local electoral area

^ *: Outgoing councillor elected in 2014. ^ †: Outgoing councillor coopted subsequent to the 2014 election.

### Bandon–Kinsale

Bandon–Kinsale: 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 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Gillian Coughlan | 18.65% | 2,762 | | | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Alan Coleman | 15.87% | 2,350 | | | | | | | | |
| | Fine Gael | Kevin Murphy | 11.95% | 1,769 | 1,845 | 1,861 | 1,930 | 1,973 | 2,007 | 2,077 | 2,277 | |
| | Fine Gael | John O'Sullivan | 11.00% | 1,629 | 1,665 | 1,666 | 1,681 | 1,693 | 1,710 | 1,790 | 1,812 | 2,075 |
| | Fine Gael | Marie O'Sullivan | 9.07% | 1,343 | 1,386 | 1,397 | 1,426 | 1,449 | 1,491 | 1,528 | 1,753 | 1,984 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Sean O'Donovan | 6.77% | 1,002 | 1,197 | 1,201 | 1,233 | 1,265 | 1,301 | 1,594 | 1,658 | 1,931 |
| | Fine Gael | Gerard Seaman | 5.91% | 875 | 980 | 981 | 995 | 1,006 | 1,038 | 1,073 | 1,089 | |
| | Green | Gordon Reid | 5.90% | 873 | 895 | 902 | 914 | 993 | 1,067 | 1,089 | 1,275 | 1,318 |
| | Independent | Pat O'Regan | 5.36% | 793 | 810 | 839 | 865 | 927 | 1,048 | 1,084 | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Dermot Brennan | 3.26% | 483 | 601 | 603 | 623 | 643 | 673 | | | |
| | Aontú | Mairéad Ruane | 2.94% | 435 | 451 | 468 | 478 | 524 | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Noel Harrington | 2.54% | 376 | 389 | 409 | 416 | | | | | |
| | Independent | Cormac Hayes | 0.78% | 116 | 121 | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 28,220 Valid: 14,806 Spoilt: 192 Quota: 2,116 Turnout: 14,998 (53.15%) |||||||||||||

### Bantry–West Cork

Bantry–West Cork: 4 Seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| | Independent | Danny Collins | 27.29% | 3,148 | | | | | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Patrick Gerard Murphy | 12.80% | 1,477 | 1,652 | 1,682 | 1,830 | 2,293 | 2,782 | | |
| | Social Democrats | Holly Cairns | 11.06% | 1,276 | 1,361 | 1,460 | 1,510 | 1,584 | 1,777 | 1,843 | 1,866 |
| | Fianna Fáil | George Gill | 9.92% | 1,145 | 1,239 | 1,288 | 1,462 | 1,508 | | | |
| | Fine Gael | Katie Murphy | 9.85% | 1,136 | 1,272 | 1,319 | 1,539 | 1,917 | 2,292 | 2,376 | |
| | Independent | Finbarr Harrington | 9.53% | 1,100 | 1,233 | 1,300 | 1,439 | 1,624 | 1,777 | 1,852 | 1,865 |
| | Fine Gael | Noel Harrington | 8.91% | 1,028 | 1,073 | 1,084 | 1,291 | | | | |
| | Fine Gael | John Dinneen | 7.62% | 879 | 987 | 1,007 | | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Donnchadh Ó Seaghdha | 1.82% | 210 | 236 | | | | | | |
| | Aontú | Lorraine Deane-Ross | 1.20% | 138 | 176 | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 20,290 Valid: 11,537 (56.86%) Spoilt: 135 Quota: 2,308 Turnout: 11,672 (57.53%) ||||||||||||

### Carrigaline

Carrigaline: 6 Seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Séamus McGrath | 32.48% | 4,247 | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Marcia D'Alton | 15.98% | 2,089 | | | | | | |
| | Fine Gael | Aidan Lombard | 14.49% | 1,894 | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Ben Dalton O'Sullivan | 6.26% | 818 | 1,032 | 1,054 | 1,198 | 1,234 | 1,272 | 1,447 |
| | Fine Gael | Liam O'Connor | 6.00% | 785 | 1,303 | 1,321 | 1,354 | 1,407 | 1,728 | 1,779 |
| | Green | Catriona Reid | 5.56% | 727 | 881 | 929 | 1,000 | 1,040 | 1,121 | 1,282 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Audrey Buckley | 5.31% | 694 | 1,282 | 1,293 | 1,346 | 1,622 | 1,817 | 1,913 |
| | Fine Gael | Michael Paul Murtagh | 4.52% | 591 | 771 | 794 | 815 | 851 | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Michael Frick Murphy | 4.44% | 580 | 762 | 818 | 841 | 914 | 932 | |
| | Aontú | John Weldon | 3.27% | 427 | 520 | 530 | | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Michael Corcoran | 1.70% | 222 | 672 | 705 | 729 | | | |
| Electorate: 27,772 Valid: 13,074 Spoilt: 154 Quota: 1,868 Turnout: 13,098 (47.16%) |||||||||||

### Cobh

Cobh: 6 Seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Pádraig O'Sullivan | 21.82% | 2,608 | | | | | | | |
| | Fine Gael | Anthony Barry | 16.80% | 2,009 | | | | | | | |
| | Labour | Cathal Rasmussen | 12.97% | 1,550 | 1,593 | 1,605 | 1,653 | 1,667 | 1,747 | | |
| | Fine Gael | Sinéad Sheppard | 11.46% | 1,370 | 1,619 | 1,796 | | | | | |
| | Independent | Sean O'Connor | 10.08% | 1,205 | 1,229 | 1,239 | 1,256 | 1,267 | 1,392 | 1,501 | 1,662 |
| | Green | Alan O'Connor | 7.39% | 883 | 983 | 1,032 | 1,084 | 1,110 | 1,153 | 1,242 | 1,358 |
| | Inds. 4 Change | Karen Doyle | 6.92% | 827 | 844 | 853 | 903 | 912 | 972 | 1,138 | 1,252 |
| | Sinn Féin | Louise Murphy | 4.29% | 513 | 543 | 556 | 577 | 581 | 618 | | |
| | Independent | Peter Kidney | 3.34% | 399 | 412 | 415 | 440 | 444 | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | John Paul Reilly | 2.93% | 350 | 759 | 777 | 788 | 810 | 845 | 901 | |
| | Social Democrats | Ken Curtin | 2.02% | 241 | 256 | 266 | | | | | |
| Electorate: 26,045 Valid: 11,955 Spoilt: 252 Quota: 1,708 Turnout: 12,207 (46.87%) ||||||||||||

### Fermoy

Fermoy: 6 Seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| | Fine Gael | Noel McCarthy | 21.80% | 3,228 | | | | | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Frank O'Flynn | 19.55% | 2,895 | | | | | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Deirdre O'Brien | 15.02% | 2,225 | | | | | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | William O'Leary | 14.94% | 2,212 | | | | | | | |
| | Fine Gael | Kay Dawson | 10.31% | 1,527 | 2,095 | 2,412 | | | | | |
| | Independent | Frank Roche | 6.07% | 899 | 1,014 | 1,231 | 1,278 | 1,315 | 1,515 | 1,560 | 1,780 |
| | Social Democrats | June Murphy | 4.56% | 676 | 777 | 857 | 896 | 923 | 1,116 | 1,137 | 1,456 |
| | Sinn Féin | Helen White | 4.17% | 617 | 696 | 769 | 790 | 818 | | | |
| | Labour | David Kenneally | 3.59% | 531 | 780 | 872 | 931 | 948 | 1,056 | 1,086 | |
| Electorate: 29,888 Valid: 14,810 Spoilt: 259 Quota: 2,116 Turnout: 15,069 (50.42%) ||||||||||||

### Kanturk

Kanturk: 4 Seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Bernard Moynihan | 26.15% | 2,843 | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Ian Doyle | 21.39% | 2,325 | |
| | Fine Gael | John Paul O'Shea | 21.29% | 2,314 | |
| | Fine Gael | Gerard Murphy | 18.26% | 1,985 | 2,336 |
| | Aontú | Paddy Scully | 4.56% | 496 | 637 |
| | Sinn Féin | Lillian Meade | 4.23% | 460 | 570 |
| | Green | Ted Bradley | 3.28% | 356 | 397 |
| | Independent | Ado Mazombe | 0.84% | 91 | 116 |
| Electorate: 21,110 Valid: 10,870 Spoilt: 204 Quota: 2,175 Turnout: 11,074 (52.46%) ||||||

### Macroom

Macroom: 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 |
| | Fine Gael | Michael Creed | 17.06% | 2,954 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Gobnait Moynihan | 15.39% | 2,665 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Michael Looney | 12.91% | 2,234 | 2,250 | 2,259 | 2,300 | 2,351 | 2,633 | | | | | |
| | Fine Gael | Eileen Lynch | 10.22% | 1,770 | 1,857 | 1,870 | 1,880 | 1,898 | 1,947 | 1,972 | 2,046 | 2,282 | 2,422 | 2,473 |
| | Independent | Martin Coughlan | 9.62% | 1,666 | 1,759 | 1,834 | 1,879 | 1,954 | 2,005 | 2,043 | 2,195 | 2,432 | 2,787 | |
| | Fine Gael | Ted Lucey | 8.39% | 1,452 | 1,590 | 1,610 | 1,622 | 1,629 | 1,658 | 1,670 | 1,712 | 1,758 | 1,811 | 1,855 |
| | Fine Gael | Áine Collins | 7.73% | 1,338 | 1,410 | 1,420 | 1,434 | 1,450 | 1,513 | 1,535 | 1,568 | 1,608 | 1,687 | 1,725 |
| | Social Democrats | Síle Ní Dhubhghaill | 4.14% | 716 | 732 | 779 | 790 | 896 | 910 | 926 | 970 | 1,038 | | |
| | Aontú | P.J. Feeney | 3.48% | 602 | 610 | 635 | 639 | 686 | 698 | 705 | | | | |
| | Independent | Nigel Dennehy | 3.37% | 584 | 597 | 627 | 634 | 699 | 720 | 736 | 838 | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Jason Fitzgerald | 3.04% | 526 | 540 | 552 | 594 | 616 | | | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Ronnie Morley | 2.96% | 512 | 517 | 537 | 542 | | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Mary O'Callaghan-Hallissey | 1.69% | 292 | 310 | | | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 30,607 Valid: 17,311 Spoilt: 288 Quota: 2,474 Turnout: 17,599 (57.5%) |||||||||||||||

### Mallow

Mallow: 5 Seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Pat Hayes | 17.30% | 1,806 | | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Gearóid Murphy | 17.18% | 1,794 | | | | |
| | Labour | James Kennedy | 17.17% | 1,793 | | | | |
| | Fine Gael | Tony O'Shea | 16.18% | 1,689 | 1,703 | 1,720 | 1,730 | 1,915 |
| | Fine Gael | Liam Madden | 15.88% | 1,658 | 1,682 | 1,697 | 1,711 | 1,916 |
| | Sinn Féin | Melissa Mullane | 11.45% | 1,196 | 1,214 | 1,229 | 1,249 | 1,301 |
| | Fine Gael | Cian Moriarty | 4.85% | 506 | 515 | 521 | 529 | |
| Electorate: 21,949 Valid: 10,442 Spoilt: 254 Quota: 1,741 Turnout: 10,696 (48.73%) |||||||||

### Midleton

Midleton: 7 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 |
| | Independent | Mary Linehan Foley | 17.80% | 2,699 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Noel Collins | 15.64% | 2,371 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Fine Gael | Michael Hegarty | 14.20% | 2,154 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | James O'Connor | 10.12% | 1,535 | 1,777 | 1,824 | 1,874 | 1,892 | 1,947 | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Danielle Twomey | 9.91% | 1,503 | 1,557 | 1,642 | 1,660 | 1,713 | 1,946 | | | | |
| | Fine Gael | Susan McCarthy | 8.31% | 1,260 | 1,289 | 1,404 | 1,519 | 1,561 | 1,565 | 1,704 | 1,940 | | |
| | Green | Liam Quaide | 6.75% | 1,024 | 1,065 | 1,104 | 1,113 | 1,163 | 1,185 | 1,362 | 1,483 | 1,495 | 1,536 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Rosarii Griffin | 6.67% | 1,012 | 1,058 | 1,144 | 1,173 | 1,201 | 1,210 | 1,308 | 1,410 | 1,420 | 1,429 |
| | Labour | Eric Nolan | 3.26% | 494 | 515 | 550 | 559 | 597 | 610 | | | | |
| | Fine Gael | John Phillips | 3.24% | 492 | 751 | 762 | 781 | 788 | 818 | 854 | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Shane Neville | 2.14% | 324 | 397 | 411 | 414 | 425 | | | | | |
| | Independent | Martin Murray | 1.95% | 296 | 334 | 377 | 383 | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 33,436 Valid: 15,164 Spoilt: 234 Quota: 1,896 Turnout: 15,398 (46.05%) ||||||||||||||

### Skibbereen–West Cork

Skibbereen–West Cork:— 5 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 | Christopher O'Sullivan | 19.54% | 2,703 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Joe Carroll | 16.51% | 2,284 | 2,364 | | | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Declan Hurley | 11.82% | 1,635 | 1,666 | 1,679 | 1,742 | 1,787 | 1,850 | 2,017 | 2,181 | 2,861 | |
| | Fine Gael | Karen Coakley | 8.84% | 1,222 | 1,236 | 1,248 | 1,260 | 1,296 | 1,426 | 1,691 | 1,821 | 1,903 | 1,958 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Deirdre Kelly | 7.91% | 1,094 | 1,138 | 1,140 | 1,150 | 1,163 | 1,181 | 1,263 | 1,304 | | |
| | Fine Gael | J.J. Walsh | 7.55% | 1,044 | 1,105 | 1,109 | 1,137 | 1,174 | 1,189 | 1,339 | 1,463 | 1,536 | 1,611 |
| | Sinn Féin | Paul Hayes | 7.10% | 982 | 1,060 | 1,086 | 1,143 | 1,226 | 1,353 | 1,396 | 1,610 | 1,707 | 1,814 |
| | Fine Gael | Yvonne Cahalane | 5.46% | 755 | 769 | 773 | 783 | 819 | 843 | | | | |
| | Independent | Yousuf Janab Ali | 4.32% | 597 | 631 | 662 | 696 | 823 | 1,005 | 1,052 | | | |
| | Independent | Brendan McCormack | 4.13% | 571 | 579 | 599 | 612 | 700 | | | | | |
| | Social Democrats | Evie Nevin | 3.33% | 460 | 477 | 533 | 552 | | | | | | |
| | Aontú | Séan Creedon | 2.14% | 296 | 307 | 313 | | | | | | | |
| | People Before Profit | Vanessa O'Sullivan | 1.36% | 188 | 193 | | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 25,355 Valid: 13,831 Spoilt: 155 Quota: 2,306 Turnout: 13,986 (55.16%) ||||||||||||||

### Footnotes

* 1 2 3 4 5 6 See change below.

## Changes
### Co-options

| Party | Outgoing | LEA | Reason | Date | Co-optee |
| Fianna Fáil | Pádraig O'Sullivan | Cobh | Elected to 32nd Dáil at the 2019 Cork North-Central by-election | 24 February 2020 | Sheila O'Callaghan |
| Fianna Fáil | James O'Connor | Midleton | Elected to 33rd Dáil for Cork East at the 2020 general election | 24 February 2020 | Ann Marie Ahern |
| Social Democrats | Holly Cairns | Bantry–West Cork | Elected to 33rd Dáil for Cork South-West at the 2020 general election | 24 February 2020 | Ross O'Connell |
| Fianna Fáil | Christopher O'Sullivan | Skibbereen–West Cork | Elected to 33rd Dáil for Cork South-West at the 2020 general election | 24 February 2020 | Deirdre Kelly |
| Fine Gael | Aidan Lombard | Carrigaline | Job commitments | 26 June 2021 | Michael Paul Murtagh |
| Fine Gael | Liam O'Connor | Carrigaline | Work commitments | 22 November 2021 | Jack White |
| Fine Gael | Katie Murphy | Bantry–West Cork | Work commitments | 15 November 2021 | Caroline Cronin O'Driscoll |
| Independent | Noel Collins | Midleton | Death. | 13 July 2022 | John Healy |
| Fine Gael | Michael Paul Murtagh | Carrigaline | Resignation. | 24 October 2023 | Úna McCarthy |
| Social Democrats | Ross O'Connell | Bantry–West Cork | Resigned | January 2024 | Chris Heinhold |
| Labour | James Kennedy | Mallow | Resigned | February 2024 | Eoghan Kenny |
| Fine Gael | Gerard Murphy | Kanturk | Death of councillor | April 2024 | Vacant |

### Changes in affiliation

| Name | LEA | Elected as | New affiliation | Date |
| Paul Hayes | Skibbereen–West Cork | Sinn Féin | Independent | May 2020 |
| Karen Coakley | Skibbereen–West Cork | Fine Gael | Independent | April 2022 |
| Liam Quaide | Midleton | Green | Independent | April 2023 |
| Liam Quaide | Midleton | Independent | Social Democrats | November 2023 |
| Danielle Twomey | Midleton | Sinn Féin | Independent | December 2023 |
| William O'Leary | Fermoy | Fianna Fáil | Independent | March 2024 |
| Danny Collins | Bantry–West Cork | Independent | Independent Ireland | April 2024 |

## Sources

* "Cork County Council - Local Election candidates". RTÉ. 8 May 2019. Archived from the original on 4 June 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
* "Local Elections 2019". Cork County Council. Archived from the original on 5 September 2020. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
* "Local Elections 2019: Results, Transfer of Votes and Statistics" (PDF). Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (DHPLG). pp. 77–88. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2020. Retrieved 10 June 2020.