BREAKING: 'A vote is a sacred thing': Frankie Daly elected in Limerick City North

INDEPENDENT councillor Frankie Daly has been elected in Limerick City North.

The 2020 general election candidate was returned on the fifth count on the northside with a combined vote of 1,621.

It meant he snuck ahead of Labour councillor Conor Sheehan who was also returned with a vote of 1,604.

It was the transfer of fellow Independent Ruth Clarke, which saw Cllr Daly, a youth worker by profession over the line.

It was an emotional moment for the father-of-two as he punched the air and held up a single digit to indicate his placing in the ranking.

"I have a small team, I have recycled posters. I've ran for mayor as well and spent a lot of time in Co Limerick as I believe they deserve the same as the city. So it's heartening to know I could go out the county and still have a strong base in the city."

He described a vote as being "a sacred thing".

"You have to prove yourself again and again - and for the next five years I need to keep proving myself. Every day, I'm on the phone to people. I take nothing for granted. I'm honoured and privileged to be endorsed by the people of City North," Cllr Daly said.

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Cllr Daly, who lives in Corbally, was elected for the first time as a Labour councillor in 2014, before becoming an Independent in 2016.

He topped the poll in 2019 with a huge personal vote, before six months later being edged out for the final seat in the Limerick City constituency at the general election.

Following the election of Cllr Daly and Cllr Sheehan, their surpluses of 27 and 10 will be distributed.

There are still five seats to fill in City North, with 13 candidates still in the running.