WATCH: Maurice Quinlivan reacts after topping poll in Limerick city

THE lyrics of On The One Road bellowed out as Sinn Fein’s Maurice Quinlivan was hoisted to the shoulders of his supporters. The Ballynanty born Deputy has retained his Dail seat after sensationally topping the poll in the Limerick City constituency.

Quinlivan exceeded the quota of 9,226 with a poll-topping 11,006 votes.

@QuinlivanTD celebrates topping the poll. #GE2020 #LimerickDecides @Limerick_Leader pic.twitter.com/EqwtAtz7uy

— Ryan O'Rourke (@Ryan_O_R) February 9, 2020

Speaking after the announcement, a joyous Deputy Quinlivan said: “I am very humble. I am delighted with what we have done. We topped the poll.

“I want to thank the people who came out in their thousands and put their trust in me.”

I think it is a huge achievement. I come from a council house in Ballynanty and I’ve topped the poll here in Limerick.”

Deputy Quinlivan's victory was expected following the final tallies, with 10,614 first preference votes, nearly 2,000 more than Fianna Fail's Willie O'Dea who topped the polls in the 2016 general election

Fianna Fail's Willie O'Dea was just 28 votes shy of reaching the quota with 9,198 votes.

#WATCH: @QuinlivanTD tops the poll in Limerick City constituency - Reporter @Ryan_O_R gets some instant reaction https://t.co/gDKSXIQ7Po #LimerickDecides #GE2020

— Limerick Leader (@Limerick_Leader) February 9, 2020